Long Beach, California’s Cold War Kids have had an interesting path to stardom. Their debut album Robbers and Cowards propelled them to indie rock stardom and the hit single “Hang Me Up to Dry” ended up in all sorts of places, including television advertisements. Then, for a while, it was rough. The addition of new blood, especially producer Lars Stalfors (Mars Volta), drummer Joe Plummer and guitarist/producer Dann Gallucci (Modest Mouse), allowed Cold War Kids to reach new creative heights and new levels of acclaim, with albums like Dear Miss Lonelyhearts and singles like “First” sending them back into the spotlight and back on radio.
At this point, a Cold War Kids show is sort of like a victory lap. The indie rockers have accumulated enough hits and classics to pad out a stellar setlist, while digging into their catalogue for inspired deep cuts and even covering Rihanna’s “Love on the Brain.” Having managed to prove their longevity and prowess to fans and execs alike, Cold War Kids can stretch out and relax a bit.
They find themselves in a sweet spot as a live band, but this comes with advantages and disadvantages alike. With pop stardom comes a different crowd interaction. The audience at Emo’s in Austin, Texas, was rapt by the hits, but it became clear quickly that not many were fans of the band beyond the songs that play on local rock station 101X, which hosted the show to raise money for Austin Habitat for Humanity.
There’s also a lack of discipline that can come from this position. A quick run through of first big hit “Hang Me Up to Dry” showed cracks. It was an obviously uninspired performance of a song they’ve played a million times. Compare and contrast to drummer Joe Plummer’s former band Modest Mouse, who plays their massive hit “Float On” in much the same loose, sloppy way.
On the other hand, 100% effort and gusto showed through when Cold War Kids approached less famous songs from maligned sophomore effort Loyalty to Loyalty, jamming out and having fun with “Mexican Dogs” and show closer “Something Is Not Right With Me.” This band wears their heart on their sleeve, and it was clear which songs they were passionate about playing.
Still, regardless of whether they were playing the songs they wanted to play or the songs they had to play to please the fans, Cold War Kids were comfortable and at home with themselves as indie rock darlings. They are exceedingly professional showmen who know how to rock a crowd, whether that crowd is made up of die hard fans or casual radio listeners. No matter which camp the Emo’s ticket holders fell into, everyone left having had a good time with one of the most solid rock bands in the game today.
