By: Jen Paulson
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Arcade Fire - Photo by Aaron Brown
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How fantastic, to experience LCD Soundsystem as a full band. I feel like I have been waiting forever to see James Murphy's dance-punk genius. From the get-go, the sound at Roy Wilkins Auditorium was amazing, which was slightly unexpected. The show moved along well, and only jammed into monotony once, with "Yeah (Crass Version)" and its long-winded chorus of “yeahs” and while I loved the opportunity to hear "Daft Punk is Playing at My House," it just wasn't as satisfying as I might have expected.
That being said, performances of "Time to Get Away," "Something Great" and "North American Scum" off the new album (Sound of Silver) were amazing. And thrown in there somewhere—one hell of a drum extravaganza with Murphy and Hot Chip member and touring guitarist, Alan Doyle. Closing their set with the last song from Sound of Silver, "New York I Love You, But You're Bringing Me Down," things were tied together handsomely. Starting as an almost cabaret-style, piano number—something you could somehow hear Antony and the Johnsons playing—it then erupted into chaos in such a way that when they went off stage, as much as I wanted more, I was left with satisfied exhaustion.
I escaped from the crowd to stand on the outskirts and observe. I just wanted to be alone. Sometimes I just hate being at crowded shows where smelly, sweaty people are in my personal space. It would prove to be the best possible decision.
I see Arcade Fire as the fraternal twin to a band like The Polyphonic Spree. Similarities such as high volume of members, a giant and inspiring sound along with the general zeal and intensity for performing are undeniable. Simply put, on this night, Arcade Fire blew me away.
I had a passerby's knowledge of their work and no idea what to expect from their live show. Sure, I had listened to them before but had never really gotten into them. Why? I don't really know. Chalk it up to my self-diagnosed ADD and the fact that I occasionally can't listen to a whole album in one sitting. The evening was a transcendent experience I haven't had in some time, actually not since the last time I saw the aforementioned Spree.
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Regine Chassagne of Arcade Fire - Photo by Aaron Brown
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The night's set came in at just under two hours, canvassing the entire AF catalog with tracks like "Headlights Look Like Diamonds" off of their first, self-titled album along with the Neighborhood songs and “Wake Up,” off of their breakout album, 2004’s Funeral.
Opening up with “Black Mirror” off Neon Bible, they took from that album other tracks like “The Well and the Lighthouse,” which was definitely one of my favorites of the night. I can’t write this without mentioning the set design. The stage was surrounded by small round screens, which projected tiny red neon bibles, but morphed into live feeds of the performers and the static of a TV. On the curtain behind them during “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” an effect that made it look like it was snowing left me in a weird state, tears threatening to well up in my eyes.
"Wake Up," off Funeral rounded out the encore, and it was nothing less than magical and empowered. As they left the stage, the lights stayed down and the crowd cheered wildly in already-satisfied anticipation of a second encore. Instead, as the lights came up, I knew it was the perfect and only way to end such an evening.
In a certain day and age where rock shows can be impersonal and cold, self-serving and one-sided, I have to say that I admire the band for putting on a real show. You can tell that they take performing live very seriously, from the complexity of the set design to the impassioned exuberance of their performances. The attention to detail is what makes a concert great, what makes a band great, and maybe one day when the history books write it all down, downright legendary.
Location Info:
Roy Wilkins Auditorium
Artist Info: Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem
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