“It can either go well because it’s a high-pressure show or it can go god-awful, so I don’t know. But it’s good to kind of leap into things…”

Or so the Walkmen’s Peter Bauer told us when asked about the band’s decision to start their tour in front of a hometown New York crowd. If they were feeling the pressure, they certainly didn’t show it; Bauer sat patiently at his organ and necked several beers while Hamilton Leithauser and Paul Maroon started the evening with a gracefully haunting version of “New Country”. And after hushing the sold-out crowd with only a plaintive croon and waltzing guitar line, it was indeed time for the Walkmen to leap into things.

They instantly transitioned into “On The Water”, another standout from their latest album You & Me, and showed no signs of fatigue or boredom from having played the same song some 14 hours earlier on the set of Good Day New York (watch the amazingly awkward interaction between the cheery newscaster and the band HERE). With the entire band locked into a manic, skulking lockstep, “On The Water” careened forth with an absurd gravity and confidence that defined the rest of the set, anchored by the rich, textured foundation of Walter Martin’s Vox bass and Matt Barrick’s sure-handed pummeling of the kit.

After a few more selections from You & Me, the band dipped into their back catalog and soon provided one of the evening’s defining moments. On “All Hands and the Cook”, they grinded down to a near-halt during the climactic moment as if coaxing the audience, all but Maroon cutting out and letting the song teasingly breathe. Then, Hamilton lunged into his now-signature arched-back howl and screamed the “You don’t liiiiike it!” vocal line at a volume and pitch so overpowering and perfectly in command that the Bowery crowd involuntarily erupted in the kind of “holy shit, we’re seeing a rock show!” way encountered only a few times before in that room.

The night was still young, however, and there were plenty of treats to come, including a four-piece horn section on several songs (including the awesome set-closer “I Lost You”) and inspired versions of early classics like “Wake Up” and “We’ve Been Had” sprinkled among the new material. Not a bad way to kick things off guys….and luckily, we get to watch it all over again tonight.

See Also:
- Band of the Week 8/18: The Walkmen (exclusive interview)
- The Walkmen and Vampire Weekend @ The Earl (Atlanta) - 9 March 2008
- The Walkmen @ Avalon (CMJ) - 17 October 2007

Listen:
“In The New Year”

See The Walkmen Live:
19 Aug - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
21 Aug - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
22 Aug - West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour
23 Aug – San Francisco, CA @ Golden Gate Park - Outside Lands Music & Arts Festival
27 Aug – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
28 Aug - Vancouver, BC @ Richard’s On Richards Cabaret
29 Aug – Victoria, BC @ Rifflandia
30 Aug – Seattle, WA @ Bumbershoot Festival
06 Sept – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
09 Sept - Montreal, QC @ La Sala Rosa
10 Sept - Toronto, ON @ The Legendary Horseshoe Tavern
11 Sept - Pontiac, MI @ Pike Room
12 Sept - Chicago, IL @ Metro / Smart Bar
13 Sept - Minneapolis, MN @ The 400 Bar
14 Sept - Madison, WI @ Barrymore Theatre w/Okkervil River
15 Sept - Columbus, OH @ The Basement
18 Sept - Cambridge, MA @ Middle East Downstairs
02 Oct - Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle
03 Oct - Atlanta, GA @ The EARL
04 Oct - Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder
05 Oct - Orlando, FL @ The Social
07 Oct - Birmingham, AL @ Bottletree
08 Oct - New Orleans, LA @ Republic New Orleans
09 Oct - Houston, TX @ Walter’s On Washington
10 Oct - Austin, TX @ The Parish Room
11 Oct - Dallas, TX @ Pontiac Garage
12 Oct - Memphis, TN @ Hi-Tone Cafe
13 Oct - Nashville, TN @ The Basement
14 Oct - Newport, KY @ Southgate House

Visit The Walkmen on MySpace.