The War on Drugs returned late at night to deliver a virtual performance of “Arms Like Boulders” at The last show with Stephen Colbert.
After releasing his new song “Ocean of Darkness” through a similar virtual setup in an October episode of The Tonight Show, the band dug deep into the catalog for their last appearance, playing a track from their 2008 debut album, Wagonwheel Blues. The presentation of #PlayAtHome was attended by all six members of the band on string instruments, with five guitars and a mandolin.
The War on Drugs’ Late Show visit was in support of the recently released live album Living Drugs, featuring tracks taken from over 40 hard drives recorded at the band’s concerts over the years. The LP features tracks from the band’s four studio albums, plus a cover of Warren Zevon’s “Accidentally Like a Martyr”.
“As a band leader, I always want to know where a song can go,” frontman Adam Granduciel said in a statement. “Even if we have recorded, mastered, released and toured, it doesn’t mean we have to do it the same way forever … It seems like it’s kind of a redefinition, being able to release something that’s a very good interpretation of the way how we interpret our music live. Even though this recording is from a year of touring, this is really how these six guys evolved as a band from 2014 to 2019. ”