Interpol @ Pop Montreal 2002

ChartAttack staff swarmed the Pop Montreal festival last weekend. Here are some of the highlights:

Forget about catching the hotly hyped New Yorkers Interpol if you didn't have a pass or advance ticket: a hand-made sign at the door said "Sold out. Don't even bother coming up the stairs to ask." The tiny, narrow, low-ceiling, stage-free Jupiter Room was jam-crammed. Only the first 20 or so at the front could glimpse their angular haircuts. The rest simply faced forward and let the loud, bleak retro rock wash over them. The very young act didn't say much between gorgeous tunes from their debut Turn On The Bright Lights, but it was clear they were live and in the house, injecting a heavier, happier vibe into their at-home-with-a-razor-blade mood music. It was definitely worth the fire hazard.