Issue date: 10/14/04 Section: Arts

The four New York indie rockers collectively known as Interpol kicked off their North American tour in Boston, playing to a sold out crowd at Avalon on Monday night.

This is the first tour in support of their new album, Antics, which is a warmer, more ambitious follow-up to their 2002 debut Turn on the Bright Lights.

Currently, Interpol is touring with psychedelic hard-rockers The Secret Machines, who opened the show with the abstract and inventive sound that can be found on their awkwardly titled album Now Here Is Nowhere.

The Secret Machines defy tradition by positioning their drummer in the front of the stage, which is fitting because of the high level of presence the drums have in their music.

Along with the drummer, the band is composed of two singers, one guitarist and the other on keyboard.

The combination of the keyboard and drums makes for a sound that can be best described as assaulting.

The Secret Machines played their dramatic and surprisingly hypnotic set for a half an hour, pleasing the crowd despite their occasionally abrasive style.

After a brief intermission, the crowd came alive as Interpol took the stage and it became apparent that they were the band that attracted the eager and enthusiastic audience.

Interpol opened their set with "Next Exit," the first song off their new album, similar to the way in which they opened their shows on previous tours with the first song off their debut album. Both songs are related by their slow tempo and subtle sound, which lends itself well as a kick-off song for a concert. "Next Exit" is an especially good song to open a show with, as the song starts with a few notes from an organ, which is the last thing one would expect to hear at a rock show.

The crowd grew increasingly more excited as Interpol launched into track after track of their moody, melodic songs that captivated and inspired the audience.

A main aspect of Interpol's appeal is their lyrical content, which is sharp and honest, without being too sarcastic or melodramatic.

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