House of Vans bid adieu to Brooklyn Friday night with a headlining Interpol show after eight years of free music (and of course, skateboarding). This year, the venue evolved their Parties series, asking each headlining artist to curate the supporting talent and create a personalized visual art experience. For Friday's opening slots, Paul Banks and company chose two acts that also hail from New York City, the punky garage four-piece Honduras and the more experimental Gang Gang Dance. Both felt fitting, either as a main source of early-evening entertainment, or as a background soundtrack for perusing the art show, enjoying an endless stream of free beer, or hitting up the taco truck out back.
While the show marked the end of an era for House of Vans, it served as a new chapter for Interpol, who also released their sixth studio album, _Marauder_, on Friday. Although the crowd responded favorably to the new tracks, considering it was the final show in the space, oldies from _Turn On the Bright Lights_ like "NYC" and show-closer "Obstacle 1" carried the most weight on a summer New York night served up with a heavy dose of nostalgia.
Considering Interpol's playing Madison Square Garden next February, it was surreal to see them play such an intimate space. And as for House for Vans, we're hoping they open a new location in NYC, or at least keep providing excellent free live music, as soon as possible. Oh, and free beer, please!
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Written and Photographed by Amanda Koellner
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