I love the Postal Service and this record was a huge deal for me in my 20s, but a live concert seems like such an awkward format for this kind of music.
Two people doing karaoke while a third person stand-dances behind a pair of laptops? And a backup singer that never sings?
I see keyboards and drums and guitars on the stage, but nobody touches or acknowledges them. So, so strange.
The Postal Service was the very definition of a bedroom album, and got their name because the collaborators didn’t even work on the music in the same state and had to mail hard drives full of tracks back and fourth. Performing it live is like the uncanny valley of electronica.
Have you ever seen them in concert? Doesn’t sound like it.
I haven’t, I must admit this is the only video I’ve seen of them live. I’d actually really like to see some Postal Service stuff performed with a full band, that could be really cool.
I feel exactly the same way as @cahutchins. Maybe the concert was awesome, but this video sure doesn’t make it look awesome. I mean, the most exciting part of the video–the moment that elicited screams of approval from the audience–was when Ms. Lewis picked up a single drum stick to hit a drum pad a half dozen times.
Putting aside that the music itself is incredibly good (I also absolutely love that album), what was so great about the concert that made it one of your favorites? Intangible stuff like the energy in the room? Were there other songs that were performed in ways that were more interesting than this? (Serious questions.)
PS; get off your lawn?
I’ve seen one guy with a laptop set a bigtop full of people insane. Who would think that minimal electro would utilise minimal instrumentation!?! CRAZY!
So great! Give Up is one of my favorite albums ever. I just want to see them make more music. MAKE MORE MUSIC DAMMIT!!! We need more Postal Service!
Edit: I just looked at their wikipedia page and appraently they split in what Ben Gibbard says is “forever” in 2013 
So sad. I like Death Cab For Cutie, and I like the others’ projects ok, but Postal Service in my opinion is the best thing any of them have ever done and it’s so sad that they’re not going to produce another album.
Same times 1000 man.
Oh don’t get me wrong, I don’t think I have too much curmudgeonliness when it comes to a good rave. I’d say that Daft Punk probably had the greatest example of “guy behind a laptop” done right.
I just think that Postal Service’s particular brand of intimate, bedroom electronica seems forced and awkward in a live setting, unless their songs were completely re-arranged for a full rock band.
Last year I was attending my first big summer happy hour at work. They’d said this one was a big deal and we should go. We knew some band would be there but who was a big secret.
When the band came out my first thought was, “Hey, they sound like the Postal Service.” My second thought was, “Wow, that actually is the Postal Service.”
It was a really good show; not the best show I’ve ever seen, but it was a helluva way to spend an afternoon at the office.
I don’t know how to say this without sounding like an elitist hipster snob but listing Daft Punk as an example to show you’re into electro is like someone rattling off a list of Kurosawa movies when Japanese Cinema is being discussed.
Don’t get me wrong - that show was fucking awesome (yes I saw it) - but man… There are a thousand examples of guys doing weird stuff with laptops and gizmos that are both worthy of seeing live and unique human experiences. Some examples:
Flying Lotus:
Amon Tobin:
Pogo:
Then peeps doing clever things like this (Party Supplies):
You left out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCawU6BE8P8
(kidding of course. kind of.)
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