The Postal Service and Death Cab For Cutie Share Stage for Depeche Mode ‘Enjoy the Silence’ Cover

As the uniting force between the Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie, Ben Gibbard has brought both of his bands on the road for a co-headlining, double-anniversary tour. The shows celebrate the 20th anniversaries of both the Postal Service’s Give Up and Death Cab For Cutie’s Transatlanticism, but on the opening night of the run, both acts formed a seven-piece supergroup to perform a cover of Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence.”

The team-up arrived as part of the Postal Service’s encore and followed an acoustic duet from Jenny Lewis and Gibbard, who stripped back “Such Great Heights.” Death Cab for Cutie took the stage first at the Anthem in Washington D.C., performing Transatlanticism from top to bottom. The Postal Service followed with a complete performance of Give Up.

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“I know for a fact I will never have a year again like 2003,” Gibbard shared in a statement when the combined tour was first unveiled. “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.”

While reflecting on those last 20 years in an interview with the New York Times, Gibbard placed the indie rock on Give Up and Transatlanticism in conversation with the classic rock of an act like Depeche Mode. “People in decision-making positions wanted to use the music they loved, at a moment, in the late ’90s and early 2000s, when mainstream rock ’n’ roll was the worst it’s ever been,” he recalled. “People who like classic rock, or were into the Cure or Depeche Mode, said, “You know what? There must be an alternative to Creed.” There was a thirst for a change, and as the internet started disseminating pop culture, suddenly there was an avenue to find out about it.”

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