During the past several years, I have been blessed with the privilege of watching many of my favorite musicians perform in concert, crossing artists such as Wilco, Sufjan Stevens, The Pixies, The National and Radiohead off my concert bucket list. For a couple of years now, however, the Arcade Fire has resided at the top of my must-see bands. This last week, however, that all changed as I finally managed to see the Montreal indie-rock act perform not once, but TWICE—both at Lollapalooza as well as in Atlanta.
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Arcade Fire |
Lollapalooza - Budweiser Stage
Chicago, IL
August 8, 2010
Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
Alpharetta, GA
August 11, 2010
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Fresh off their newest album The Suburbs and a live webcast of their recent Madison Square Garden performance, the Arcade Fire set the stage for an epic performance to close out this year’s festivities. Drawing one of the larger Lollapalooza crowd this side of Lady Gaga, the band did not disappoint, performing a balanced blend of tracks from their three-album catalog.
Leading up to their Lollapalooza set, a certain feeling lingered in the air hinting that something great was about to go down, hinted at by fans already humming the chorus to “Wake Up” before The National were finished with their set. While the octet’s work has always embodied a certain anthemic element to their music, songs like “Rebellion,” and “No Cars Go” took on an entirely new power with tens of thousands of people chanting along with the utmost conviction. Out of their one-song encore of “Wake Up” ensued one of the most spine-tingling, awe-inspiring moments I have witnessed in live performance—one where the experience transcends chords, vocals, and song structure into a moment where everything just seemed perfect and in tune throughout Grant Park. And I do not mean in a hyperbolic sense by any stretch of the imagination—just ask any Arcade Fire devotee who was in attendance.
While I was at Lollapalooza as a photographer and admittedly did not have as much time to intently watch shows as I would have preferred, my full attention laid upon the Arcade Fire a few days later during their performance at Atlanta’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheater. Although the Amphitheater was nowhere near full capacity, it didn’t matter to those who were in attendance. Instead, I felt rather appreciative to be able to watch the show from a relatively close spot without having to fend for my life (as was the case at Lollapalooza).
After Spooned opened with a bombardment of their classics such as “Don’t You Evah,” “Don’t Make Me a Target” and “Jonathan Fisk,” the Arcade Fire graced the stage, opening with the same four songs as they did in Chicago. It was not a deterrent, however, especially since I could not see the entire show and stage at Lollapalooza. They brought their own large stage screen, filled with live video of the band performing from interesting and unusual angles—much like how Radiohead did throughout their In Rainbows tour. Visually, the show matched nicely complimented the music and added to the overall experiences, adding in montages and vintage-faded shots of suburban life.
But like usual, the Arcade Fire’s forte came in the form of their ability to make music that is majestic while entirely relatable to each fan’s own experience. One such moment came in the form of “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)” following evocatively by “Rebellion (Lies)," a compelling one-two punch inviting all to sing along with the uplifting call to arms. In addition, their new materials off of The Suburbs fit right in. “Month of May” fiercely drove like parts of TV on the Radio’s “Halfway Home,” while frontwoman Regine Chassagne shone beautifully on “Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).”
While the band currently resides atop the Billboard charts at the moment, they never seem to play the part. Lead singer Win Butler seemed quite confident in the spotlight, but continually remained grateful and appreciative of their fans who have contributed to their steady rise since 2003. Ultimately, what the Arcade Fire represent at this given point in time is a perfect example of a band in full stride, hitting the pinnacle of their career as performers—with a dynamic show that finally is grand enough to match their larger-than-life sound.
Chicago Set List: 8/8/10, Lollapalooza, Chicago, IL
“Ready to Start”
“Neighborhood #2 (Laika)”
“No Cars Go”
“Haďti”
“Empty Room”
“Rococo”
“The Suburbs”
“Intervention”
“Crown of Love (Win dedicated it to The National)”
“Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
“Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
“We Used to Wait”
“Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”
“Rebellion”
“Month of May”
“Keep the Car Running”
Encore:
“Wake Up”
Atlanta Set List: 8/11/10, Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre, Alpharetta, GA
“Ready To Start”
“Neigborhood #2 (Laika)”
“No Cars Go”
“Haiti”
“Half Light II (No Celebration)”
“Empty Room”
“The Suburbs”
“Ocean of Noise”
“Keep the Car Running”
“We Used To Wait”
“Neigborhood #3 (Power Out)”
“Rebellion (Lies)”
“Month of May”
“Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)”
Encore:
“Intervention”
“Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)”
“Wake Up”
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