Postal Service review: At Riot Fest, band performs the best of Ben Gibbard’s two sets

The energy Ben Gibbard may have conserved during Death Cab For Cutie’s mellow set may have paid off Saturday night for fans of The Postal Service, as the second band Gibbard fronts put forth an effort worthy of its headlining spot.

It’s unknown if any lead singer has performed with two different bands the same night of Riot Fest, let alone just a couple hours apart, but Gibbard pulled it off nicely. The Washington state-born Gibbard, accompanied by bandmates Jimmy Tamborello and Jenny Lewis, were joined by Dave Depper on this night to perform the Postal Service album “Give Up,” which is celebrating a 20th anniversary. Considering the band only released one album, it was an obvious choice.

While the crowd wasn’t as dense for this headliner (perhaps the sleepy Death Cab set scared some away), those who did stick around received a treat. Gibbard, who changed from the black shirt he wore two hours earlier to a white shirt, seemed to be reinvigorated. 

Electronic musician Tamborello may have been partly responsible for the energy injection, but it was more than peppy beats that got the crowd dancing. The band harmonized well, and Gibbard’s voice matches the subtle synth-pop electro arrangements far more than it does with the guitars of Death Cab. 

The crowd especially got into the band’s rendition of the hit “Such Great Heights” and the highly danceable “Tattered Line of String,” and it was nice to see Gibbard redeem himself after a disappointing set with Death Cab just a couple hours earlier. — Bob Chiarito