Concert Review: Arcade Fire

Canadian indie rock superstars Arcade Fire took Madison Square Garden by storm last night, playing the iconic arena for the first time (their show on August 5th will broadcast live on YouTube at 10:00pm, directed by Terry Gilliam; a national tour should be announced soon). And they played. Arcade Fire arrived ready to rock. With the band's third album The Suburbs released on August 3rd, Arcade Fire had 16 breathtaking new tracks to bolster their set. While Arcade Fire's previous two albums (Funeral and Neon Bible) dealt with heady themes throughout, The Suburbs might be the band's first true concept album - each song encompasses a specific mood, culminating in a fully-realized arch. The new album also fits the band's atmospheric sound, morphing with each album while still grandiose and moody in tone.

Before the main event, Spoon, critical darlings for their minimalist and unpredictable rock sound, opened the show. Unfortunately, Spoon was plagued by jarring technical difficulties and an indifferent crowd. Regardless, their sound did not seem weak or lost in the din of The Garden, a true feat for a small band - "I Turn My Camera On" was a set highlight, and the one-two finale punch of "Got Nuffin" and "Black Like Me" delivered.

Before Arcade Fire came on stage, their setup made an impression. The backdrop depicted a highway overpass, photographed in similar style to The Suburbs album art, while a video screen styled like an exit sign stood in front; projections and video ran over both, creating an impressive visual motif. The stage, littered with every musical instrument imaginable for the band's nine members, came alive as soon as Win Butler & Co. arrived, opening with one of the strongest tracks from the new album, "Ready to Start." While The Suburbs is a stunning album, none of the tracks feature the bombastic stadium anthems found on the previous two albums; this album is quieter, more contemplative. "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)" is the closest thing to a Suburbs anthem, and certainly received the most enthusiastic response of the new material (also spurred on by Régine Chassagne's spirited ribbon dance).

While the new songs didn't hit as hard as old favorites, it was invigorating to hear the band play brand-new material. I would have chosen a few different tracks from The Suburbs (i.e. replacing "Rococo" with "Modern Man" or "Suburban War"), but that's merely nitpicking the near-perfect performance. The set was a wonderful mix from all three albums. Win Butler's voice was even better live - raw and deeply emotional, stretching from his passionate warble to empowering scream. Régine Chassagne's (also married to Butler) Björk-like voice was ethereal and haunting; both Win and Régine showed remarkable vocal range, and their harmonies were glorious.

Arcade Fire reached sheer brilliance on their biggest songs, cuts with a sweeping scope meant to fill giant venues; songs from Funeral (the band's best album) were the most invigorating of the night. "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)," one of the band's hardest songs, reached a cacophony before seamlessly morphing into the opening chords of "Rebellion (Lies);" the crowd went absolutely nuts. Coming early in the set, "No Cars Go" was emotional and overwhelming, one of the night's best moments; at one point, Win handed the mic to a fan in the front pit, playing the guitar while leaning over the crowd as he sang. "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)," one of my favorites, was perfectly energetic and zealous as the last song before the encore.

Hearing 19,000 fans chanting to Arcade Fire is truly a moving experience. Nothing compared to the show closer "Wake Up," arguably the band's most famous song (recently used in the trailers for Where The Wild Things Are). The song's chorus is a wordless chant; hearing all of Madison Square Garden scream that melody together with hands in the air gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes; it currently stands as the greatest live performance I've experienced. My favorite band certainly did not disappoint. Arcade Fire turned The Garden into a church, and I experienced a truly religious experience. A few decades ago, Arcade Fire wouldn't have been "indie" rock at all, but rather pure, unabashed rock 'n' roll. They certainly put on a true rock concert, a tight group of insanely talented and beautiful musicians. Arcade Fire has just begun taking over the world. We may still be stuck in suburban angst, but there's no need to worry - our musical savior has arrived.

Arcade Fire's Madison Square Garden Set List, 8/4/10
Ready to Start, Neighborhood #2 (Laika), No Cars Go, Haiti, Half Light II (No Celebration), Rococo, The Suburbs, Crown of Love, Intervention, We Used to Wait, Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Rebellion (Lies), Month of May, Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels); [encore] Keep the Car Running, Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains), Wake Up