Welcome back to the club Arcade Fire! Which club? That of great bands….
Your host has always been a bit suspicious about this band. Reminder of who they are: 8-member band from Montreal, Canada based on the married couple of Win Butler (from Texas) and Régine Chassagne (from Haitian origins) who made their amazing debut “Funeral” in 2004 but with so much hype and great reviews everywhere that it made me put a discount in my love for this particular band (I know, what a snobbish thing to do…). This plus the fact that their second LP “Neon Bible” in 2007 was moving towards the wrong way to my mind (Rondo Veneziano anyone?). I sam them at the time at the Olympia in Paris and I must say that the great Electrelane was much more rewarding as an opening act compared to the whole show (well, that was my mindset at the time..). So, thinking about the Coldplay or Cold War Kids syndrome (great debut album, too much hype… and then not that good), I was not expecting much from their third LP (“The Suburbs” in 2010). Complete mistake as this was one of the most enjoyable, smart and great LP’s of last year. Excellent theme as well in a rock’n’roll world where composers prefer to sing about the wide open space rather than the less glamorous suburbs, where in reality half of us grew up and made our first years…
This back to greatness form had been confirmed by their concert at Rock en Seine in August 2010 (unfortunately stopped by the rain) but moreover by the show they did last week in Paris. I absolutely loved every minute of it and had forgotten how this band has no ego, no bullshit behaviour and how every member is such a good polyvalent musician. And so many great songs as well!
Here are a few pictures of le Zenith and a few ones as well from Rock en Seine in 2010:
I took he following video (pure classic from “Funeral”) and I warmly recommend a recent Sound Opinions podcast (show #290) where Will Butler (brother of Win) and Richard Perry were interviewed and were the whole band played a few tracks in the studio.
Virgins and Philistines 
Funeral était excellent, Suburbs est encore meilleur. C’est une performance peu commune pour un groupe de pouvoir se surpasser. C’est quand le prochain concert?
[…] the words to describe the state of the crowd as well! Have a look at the set list and at the latest Zenith show as well but please go to see Arcade Fire next time you are in a position to do so and you will be […]