Death Cab For Cutie To Perform 'Transatlanticism' In Full & The Postal Service Will Reform In 2023

Ben Gibbard will be a busy man come September 2023 when he's performing two back-to-back sets of the greatest songs he and his bandmates in Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service have ever written.

2023 marks 20 years since Death Cab For Cutie released their perfect fourth album, Transatlanticism. Give Up, the only album ever shared by The Postal Service, came out that same year. The two groups will celebrate the anniversaries by playing the albums in full. 

The Postal Service haven't performed live in over a decade. Gibbard, Jenny Lewis, and producer Jimmy Tamborello will reprise the group's roles and perform your favourite songs, Such Great Heights and We Will Become Silhouettes. 

The Death Cab For Cutie lineup will include Gibbard, Nick Harmer, Dave Depper, Zac Rae, and Jason McGerr. Gibbard said about the creative year that was 2003: "I know for a fact I will never have a year again like 2003. The Postal Service record came out, Transatlanticism came out. These two records will be on my tombstone, and I’m totally fine with that. I’ve never had a more creatively inspired year."

Death Cab For Cutie released their brilliant tenth album, Asphalt Meadows, earlier this year. The record saw the longstanding indie rock/emo group push themselves sonically and achieve a new creative peak 25 years into their career.

"But what really impressed in their live set, was the shimmering instrumentals and breakdowns on beloved tracks like Crooked Teeth, What Sarah Said, I Will Possess Your Heart, Expo ’86, and We Looked Like Giants," Hannah Story wrote upon seeing Death Cab For Cutie at the Sydney Opera House a few years ago.

She added, "Part of the emotional punch was in the way the music unfurled in those moments – during encore closer Transatlanticism it was hard not to feel your body jolt and jerk; we were physically moved by it. 

"These moments were all led by Gibbard, sometimes letting loose behind the piano or standing with his hands behind his back centre stage, but were given texture by his bandmates, Nick Harmer on bass, and new members Dave Depper on guitar and Zac Rae on keys, and given shape and structure by Jason McGerr’s pounding drums." Read the rest of her concert review here.

Seeing as the Death Cab For Cutie and The Postal Service tour isn't happening until September 2023, and the former band's other tour dates end in June, there's still space for a visit to Australia. Splendour In The Grass, pretty please?

Find out more about the Transatlanticism and Give Up tour here.