Bloc Party members were clearly excited to pay a visit, with Kele Okereke enthusiastically exclaiming, “Come on, Tiny D!” about a minute into the English rock group’s superb Tiny Desk concert. Approaching the challenge with smiles and ease, the band delivered a carefully curated set that marked two decades since the release of their enduring debut album. The performance began with the super catchy and energetic pop anthem “Banquet” from ‘Silent Alarm’, instantly demonstrating their infectious energy. They continued with two fantastic songs from 2008’s ‘Intimacy’, first presenting the shimmery, glockenspiel-forward track “Signs,” and then launching into “Mercury,” which gave the audience a sneak peek at Okereke’s vocal effects rig hidden beneath the Desk. Bloc Party closed out the performance with “Blue,” a sweet and slower song from the band’s catalog, ending quietly yet powerfully as Okereke sang the intimate line, “I fall asleep on your sleeve / with those three words in my dreams.”
SET LIST
“Blue”
“Banquet”
“Signs”
“Mercury”