Interpol performed a secret warm-up gig in Madrid on July 9 before appearing at Mad Cool Festival 2026. The band was joined by Matt Barrick of The Walkmen on drums for both shows.
The New York band announced the intimate show at Sala But club under the name Iron City, the title of their latest single. They played tracks including 'Untitled', 'Obstacle 1' and 'Slow Hands' from their early albums.
On July 11, Interpol took the Orange Stage at Mad Cool in the early hours. Their set was nearly identical to the warm-up, with 'The Rover' replacing 'Roland'.
Paul Banks discussed the song 'Iron City' in comments to NME. He described it as a conversation with future artificial intelligence and said human creativity would remain ahead of AI.
The band's ninth album 'This Mirror Weighs A Ton' is due on August 28 via Partisan Records. They are also scheduled for shows in London this summer and a co-headline arena tour with Bloc Party in December.