Wednesday night, New York's White Rabbits and Interpol blasted through the hallowed D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington DC. The White Rabbits hopped on stage and wasted no time raising the rhythm with their percussive assault thanks to their two drummers, Jaime Levinson and Matt Clark. It felt more like a sacred tribal gathering, rich in dark energy and heavy passion, than a traditional rock performance. Sophisticated and discernibly energetic in their delivery of songs like "Company I Keep" and "Percussion Gun", the White Rabbits were an impressive, mood-setting opener to their Manhattan musical brothers.

Obviously inspired by Manchester England's iconic '80s alt-rockers, Joy Division, Interpol has spent 13 years developing a solid following through their consistent songwriting and the laid-back intellectual sex appeal of lead singer, Paul Banks. Delicately ethereal and ardently creepy at times, Interpol was short on movement but long on lyrical connection to their nearly sold-out adoring audience of mostly twenty-something students and young Capitol City professionals. Guitarist Daniel Kessler's suave gyrations mixed nicely with Banks' subtle magnetism. They're far from radio mainstays but you'd of been hard-pressed to find a pair of tonsils in the crowd not quivering to virtually ever verse, chorus, and shift of instrumental prose that poured off the stage.

An insurgency of screams and escalating vibrations filtered through the ancient venue as the first chord progressions of "C'mere" off their second album Antics were delivered with instrumental and vocal precision. "It's way too late to be this locked inside ourselves/The trouble is that you're in love with someone else," sang Banks the balladeer, who scanned the mesmerized sea of spectators before exuding a transitory "It should be me! Oh, it should be me!"

A musical landslide of familiar favorites like "Narc," "Say Hello to the Angels," and the highly reactive, "Lights," proved to be watermark moments of the band's 90-minute set.
And when the front man cried, "That's why I hold you dear," all the ladies in the crowd, me included, felt virtually bear-hugged. This line echoed through the auditorium and advanced seamlessly into the fiery first line of "Evil"---"Rosemary/Heaven restores you in life." Throughout the night, their intensively ardent mastering of strings, percussion, and resonance truly radiated.

There was no interruption in musical flow except when Banks paused to comment on the immaculate interior of the Constitution Hall stating nonchalantly, "Interesting space…real formal." Interpol have yet to give birth to a classic, black ballad like Ian Curtis' "Love Will Tear Us Apart," but there was no lack of joy in the building for the Capitol City Interpol faithful. But when you fully digest the depth and beauty of "Baracade" off their forth and most recent self-titled album, it is clear that the creative wave this band has is far from cresting.

And for those craving more movement and a more ostentatious means of entertainment from these musical poets, I beg to differ. Although in aesthetic physicality there was little 'going on' on stage, all you had to do was close your eyes and feel the reverberations of the bass and the reflective rapture of the lyrics to be convinced of the still standing majesty of live music. Because when it comes down to it--- it's all about the music.