The Ed Sullivan Theater once again became center stage for another brilliant concert put on by the great people at CBS Radio. Los Angeles' Silversun Pickups performed a rare East Coast concert in a very rare setting in a taping for the Live on Letterman webseries. The band, who were in town to perform on The Late Show in support of their new album, Neck of the Woods, also signed on to do Live on Letterman and fans around the world could see this charismatic band in action.
A quarter through the concert, singer Brian Aubert praised the idea of doing a show at the legendary theater, "Turning Ed Sullivan Theater into a venue, thats worth a trip to New York. Every gig we do is downhill from here," he said. This was the bands only show on this side of the country and has been for quite sometime, the band, who are touring through the year in support of their new record, gave the audience a bit of everything during the intimate 45-minute performance. Playing a number of songs off Neck of the Woods, one thing was clear, as solid as the record is, like most Silversun Pickups track they really come alive in concert. Silversun Pickups are a tremendous live band whose gigs are charged with more than energy, they are fueled with passion. With that passion and fire they bring, their live shows are what keeps the conversation on them whenever they hit the road, they really are a must see live band. Aubert would banter with the audience in between songs and interact with the few people in the top balcony. With such a commanding persona as his on stage, it was a delight to see him run into the audience and get fans really excited. The rest of the band are fantastic at maintaining his momentum, he would playful joke around with bassist Nikki Monniger and she would go along with what he was doing. While the biggest cheers came for the band's two big singles, "Panic Switch" and "Lazy Eye," Silversun Pickups did not mind that it may have been those two songs that helped them get into this iconic room to play this gig, they were just as gitty to be there as the fans. As the set came to a close, Aubert would run into the audience and sign autographs and take pictures, while drummer Chris Guanlao took pictures from behind his kit to savor the moment and treasure it forever. A band like this shows their humble side while doing the job they love and for that, it is something most bands need to take note on these days.
