Death Cab's Slam Dunk at Rimac

While the acoustics of Rimac strived for mediocrity, Death Cab for Cutie found a way to stretch their sound over a Division II basketball court on a brisk August night. A mellow, mid-tempo outfit at their core, DCFC knows how to expand their recorded material to its outer limits under flashing neon lights.

DCFC opened with "I Will Possess Your Heart" and made sure hit discs Narrow Stairs and Plans got their due. This was a show where very few fans left pissing and moaning about any particular track's lack of inclusion. The Seattle band wisely incorporated half of the highly touted Codes and Keys record into their two-hour set. High-water marks included "You Are a Tourist" and the melodic juggernaut "Doors Unlocked and Open."

Frontman Ben Gibbard's between-song California-pandering and Jerry Brown references grew a bit tiresome over the course of the show but was forgiven following his solo rendition of the love-and-death anthem "I Will Follow You Into the Dark." The cinematics of DCFC, which has explored a vast terrain in its 14 years, spilled into a powerful performance that resonated throughout the maze of the La Jolla campus.

• Concert: Death Cab for Cutie
• Date: August 16
• Venue: Rimac Arena
• Seats: General admission