The Postelles – The Bowery Ballroom – July 28, 2010
When the Manhattan-based band Postelles originally booked last night’s headlining date at The Bowery Ballroom, they likely didn’t know that they would be opening a handful of dates on Kings of Leon’s and Interpol’s summer tours before they got to play the show. Still, lead singer Daniel Balk was humbled by the experience, thanking the packed crowd for being there and explaining the feeling of honor to play a venue where he “watched my favorite bands play.” “Now,” he said, “let’s shake this floor.”
For more than an hour, the band spun through material off their White Night EP along with new material set to be released in October as a self-titled, full-length debut (coproduced by the Strokes’ Albert Hammond Jr.). Balk’s stage presence oozed Joseph Gordon-Levitt style cool—he could easily be mistaken for him in a crowd, a claim supported by the Beatlemania-style screams coming from the audience all night as girls nearly fought to get closer to the stage.
Lead guitarist David Dargahi pumped out Strokes-like riffs with Hives-like style. He glued his feet in place while thrashing around from the torso up during songs like “123 Stop.” The set had a wonderful rhythm to it, with most songs swelling during their verses until they inevitably burst into dance-and-shout choruses. For now the Postelles go back out with Interpol (they will be at The Wellmont Theatre next Wednesday), but they will hopefully be playing back home soon. Chances are, however, they’ll be headlining something even bigger. —Sean O’Kane
Photos courtesy of Sean O’Kane | seanokanephoto.com
