Tokyo Police Club Capture Vancouver

Tokyo Police Club Capture Vancouver
written by Cassy Popoff

Whenever an event involves me walking down East Hastings at night, I laugh the idea right in the face. Last night was unlike the others though- as Tokyo Police Club was part of the question. Figuring the reward was far greater than the risk, I put on a brave face and made my way over to The Imperial.

The Imperial is the definition of a diamond in the rough. Fairly small and intimate, but with an open, minimalistic layout; it was originally a theater that held traditional kung-fu movie viewings, but was recently remodeled into one of Vancouver’s go to places. The place still boasts statues of Qin Dynasty warriors lining the walls, but with modern wooden accents and rich dark walls it makes for – in my opinion- an ideal music venue.

After an impressive performance by openers Van Damsel, the anticipation was high for the nights main act. Luckily for the crowd, they were very quick to tear down and set up, and were out on the stage in a mere fifteen minutes. They glided onto the stage, and the crowd went wild as Breakneck Speed began playing. The energy in the room was incredibly high, and there was nothing but smiling faces surrounding the stage. It’s difficult to not be transported into an optimistic state of mind when engulfed in Tokyo Police Club’s upbeat melodies. A common theme of the show was the crowd becoming closer with each other; as each person there was singing along and dancing together. It’s no exaggeration to say that when the night was over, I felt like I had just been hanging out with a few hundred of my closest friends- which is an atmosphere hard to achieve in Vancouver.

Live, Tokyo Police Club is incredible. Dave Monks voice is as crisp in real life as in the recordings, and the rest of the ensemble was equally on point. The transitions between songs were incredibly smooth and thought out, and their stage presence was captivating. Whether it was instructing sing-alongs, having quick chats with the audience, or going into and embracing the crowd during Frankenstein– the boys had our full attention all night. To me, TPC’s music has a nostalgic quality. The nights events had me sent back in time to my early teenage years belting out lyrics to “End of a Spark” with my best friends. I know I am not alone when I say this, as it seems like the whole crowd was transformed into children giddy with excitement.

Their performance of Argentina sent shivers down my spine when they transitioned into “part two”- I could tell the people surrounding me with their eyes closed and arms raised high were feeling the same way. Each song was delivered so well- all better than the recordings- and the song selection was flawless. With that said, I would have loved for them to have played Listen to the Math, but I’m not even going to complain. I left with my spirits high, and feeling inspired from the contagious positive energy I was just enclosed in

There were many stand out moments from the nights show. A Kelly Clarkson cover, the unveiling of a new song, and just the general vibes throughout the building are things that will be stuck in my memory for quite some time. Tokyo Police Club has been one of my favorite bands for a while, and now probably to greater extent as I have seen how their music affects more than just myself for the better. If you haven’t already, I urge you to check out their latest album Forcefield and catch them live if you can- maybe I’ll see you there?

Tokyo Police Club Capture Vancouver