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Posted: Oct 08, 2007 in Music
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If I belong to a cult, it brought me to Waterfront Park in Louisville on a balmy October evening last week to worship. The altar had an organ, which The Arcade Fire flexed during the band's most transfixing songs from this year's album, Neon Bible. Eleven or 12 musicians jostled on stage, passed around instruments between songs and triumphantly led an Emo revival. The Arcade Fire traffic in that shorthand genre the way no poseur band billed as Emo really has -- performing orchestral rock that channels pure, sincere emotion.
The searing chords of the organ cut into my soul during some of the most heartfelt songs, such as "My Body is a Cage" and "Intervention." Those offered a counterweight to the rapturous catharsis that pulsed through "No Cars Go" and "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)." The show ended with the band's rousing call-to-arms, "Wake Up."
From a review in the Louisville Courier-Journal:
"Over the past few years, every major music magazine has published an Arcade Fire story, and every story has detailed at length the many wonders of the band's live performances: Magic, flawless, extraordinary, etc. The knee-jerk reaction was to label it all hyperbole and fan-boy gushing.
"But based on Wednesday's show in Waterfront Park, the band has been, if anything, a little underrated. It was that good."
Confession: I'm an Arcade Fire fan. Unlike Jon though, my soul is still intact. But then again, I haven't seen them live yet. If you've not heard Arcade Fire and you like music beyond what you're fed on top 40 radio, I strongly urge you to listen. Emo or not, it is damn fine music. And may be worth your soul. It's certainly at least worth Jon's soul. :)
Arcade Fire ain't emo, B. Just sayin'.
Jon started it w/the emo thing. I was really leaning towards 'or not' so I'm glad you cleared it up.
I haven't been lucky enough to make it to an Arcade Fire concert yet, but I have seen Broken Social Scene... the other awesome Canadian supergroup. Not that many people showed up for the concert, but they still gave a jaw-dropping performance. See them too if you have the chance.
BSS is coming to the Vogue next month, I think, though it's in support of the Kevin Drew album.
Also -- emo wasn't meant literally, just to say bands billed as "emo" pale in comparison with a band like AF that pulses with real, unfiltered emotion.
My GF saw BSS when they came to the Vogue last year. Said the dirty guy with the beard (really narrows it down) got really drunk and talked a whole bunch toward the end of the show -- which she thought was funny at first but which eventually became annoying. Other than that, though, she thought they were really, really good live. Other amazing shows at the Vogue coming up:
They Might Be Giants (always fun) Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings (this could well be the highlight of the year in local live shows) Debby Harry ("Rapture" live -- 'nuff said.) Peter Bjorn and John (authors of that whistling song that was so popular over the summer) -- see the oddly creepy animated video here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=51V1VMkuyx0
I made the trip to Louisville for the riverfront Arcade Fire show, just to see what all the hype was about (Davids Bowie & Byrne both croon their praises). As fun as it was to be outside glancing at the boats that slowed to catch a sonic glimpse, I would like to see them again indoors. The sound just did not come across, maybe it floated over the Ohio to Clarksville. The video effects were a sort of cool low-budget sci-fi mad scientist look, cameras placed on mic stands for unique perspectives. All those fiddles and tossed glowsticks plus costumed audience members made me think of a rave, featuring a tweaking Lord Flatley of the Riverdance Troupe all a stompin' & fiddlin'. And more than enough sweaty suspenders.
I would love to see them indoors too, in a place with stellar acoustics. I saw them once before, but it was outdoors, at '05 Lollapalooza in Chicago.