The Postal Service – Queen Elizabeth Theatre – July 16, 2013
A decade after their critically acclaimed album “Give Up” was released, The Postal Service has reunited, re-released the album and headed out on tour. Their first ever visit to Vancouver brought them to the stage at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre for an electrifying set. The stage set and light show resembled a cathedral, with Jimmy Tamborello up on a pulpit and the rest of the band; co-founder Ben Gibbard, Jenny Lewis and Jen Wood ‘preaching’ to the masses. Not that this audience needed much preaching, they were already converted and had been waiting 10 years for their musical saviours.
The Postal Service’s contemporary new-wave inspired tracks sound spot on even a decade on from their initial creation. Only having one album meant that no one was going to go away not hearing their favourite track, it was all played out before them. Adding in a cover of Olympia,Washington band the Beat Happening’s “Our Secret” to fill out the set. While little was said, Ben did the talking for the group as he gave shout-outs to opening act Big Freedia and apologising to the audience for not having played Vancouver previously then dedicating hit single, “Such Great Heights” to the city. It felt like the hour long set was over in an instance much to the dismay of the audience who very
much hoped that they wouldn’t be waiting another decade for The Postal Service to deliver again.