where we'll join our heroine in her travails in search of kick ass music and more

Saturday, July 28, 2007

The Arcade Fire @ Radio City Music Hall - 5.9.07

Ah, Arcade Fire - the critical darling band that's actually worth all the hype. I'd seen them twice before, once at Central Park Summerstage (with the special appearance of Mr. David Bowie) and at a Fashion Rocks show at Radio City - where Bowie showed up as well...I think he might like them ;o)
But this time my friend and I somehow snagged 6th row orchestra at Radio City, which was amazing. Best seated tixs I've ever had.
The opener was The National, which has been lauded everywhere. Uh, sorry but I don't quite get all of the hoopla. I hate to judge them from this appearance, but to me they'll just be the band that practically made my ears bleed. The bass was turned to 11 and since we were close to the stage, we spent a very uncomfortable 45 minutes or so squirming in our seats. Everyone else around us seemed fine though, so what do i know?
But onwards to the main attraction - the lovely Canadiennes of Arcade Fire. I can't remember a setlist, but I do remember having a great time. One will never mistake one of their shows for anyone else's. They're amazingly unique. I've never actually checked, but it seems as if each member knows how to play everyone else's instruments. Or at least it looks that way when they suddenly exchange them mid-song. Damn virtuosos.

And the passion in those voices...
There are a few, can count them in one hand, bands that make you feel like you're in church when you see them. The first one for me is U2, and now coming a very close second is Arcade Fire. It all feels so intimate, yet part of something greater...and if you know me personally, you know i don't mean this lightly.


There's never a moment when it feels as if the band is just going through the motions - they seem to be intuitively connected to each other and to every song at every moment. A friend of mine has described them as, 'Imagine if the special bus kids all got instruments'. Just a kind of eccentricity and talent and creativity and joie de vivre all mixed up in one place.


They're innate anarchists and caused quite a problem during their set. There was a lot of security around - trying to secure fire exits and such - and people had been told they could not stand in the aisles. And then Win and co. start telling everyone they should come on up as close as possible. Cue to a Three Stooges/Abott and Costello gag - crowd moves up, crowd gets kicked out by security, band tells crowd to come back, and then it starts all over again.
I'll say this for an Arcade Fire crowd - everyone was very agreeable - that back and forth crap could've turned scary with a different sort of people. In the end, Win apologized for the mess and the guards relaxed a bit as well.


It was once again an amazing experience not to be missed, b/c again, how often do you get to see the special kids rock out? :o)

No comments:

Post a Comment