Arcade Fire

[Dancers Stand Very Still]

It was a bit weird, wasn't it? I kind of regret going but we couldn't sell our tickets. It left me understandably completely cold. Objectively, I didn't think the performance was that great either.

[gingerevans84]

Strange show that. Starting off with Tunnels was cool, but the crowd (standing) felt flat. Didnt really get going until The Lightning.

No Power Out or No Cars Go!

Still a top top live band.

[RarerThanDandyB]

I enjoyed last nights show, left early on the encore because I had to get a coach from Victoria and already seen it in Manchester. Gutted I missed the Solsbury Hill cover though and obviously Wake Up. 

Manchester was definitely better but the highlights of both have to be The Lightning, Laika, Lookout Kid and the main moment of both - Sprawl II. 

Oh I cringed massively when Win tried to sing a tribute to the queen after a song and the words ‘the queen is dead’ trickled out and he didn’t say anything else. 

Regine is so class, even if Win didn’t do the worst, I had moments thinking you massive prick, how could you do that to her. Sometimes her facial expressions when her and win performed looked like she was fuming at Win. (That could just be the alcohol picking up on something small)

[4519dennis]

Agree it did feel subdued to start with but in some respects more as a consequence of the Queen's passing announced a few hours before. Started with listening to a Louie Armstrong song - Just a Closer Walk with Thee. Wasn't until about half way through that we all warmed up and those sitting were up and dancing. Regina was magnificent coming up to the smaller centre stage by herself and then singing in the crowd. 

[benc]

I'm glad to have gone. It was a weird one though, crowd was very flat and got going during Rabbit hole. The crowd seemed more up for songs from Reflector onwards, which I thought was odd

[zzzfest]

How big (or small) was the turnout at the London show?

[NorthernSoul52]

On 9/10/2022 at 9:27 AM, zzzfest said:

How big (or small) was the turnout at the London show?

Will be interested to see official figures for this. Heard Manchester was fairly well attended in the end?

[Dark Star]

On 9/10/2022 at 9:27 AM, zzzfest said:

How big (or small) was the turnout at the London show?

Decided against it on the morning of the gig, couldn't bring myself to do it. Had I been in London anyway I might have gone just to avoid the blanket news coverage.

[Comfy Bean]

Just remembered while watching an 80’s thing on tv that after finishing on wake up on the wee stage in Glasgow, the band walked off through the crowd playing iko iko by the Dixie cups. 
Not sure if any significance but an unusual choice for everyone to dance out to.

[deBASmode]

1 hour ago, Comfy Bean said:

Just remembered while watching an 80’s thing on tv that after finishing on wake up on the wee stage in Glasgow, the band walked off through the crowd playing iko iko by the Dixie cups. 
Not sure if any significance but an unusual choice for everyone to dance out to.

Win and Regine recorded this song (retitled Iko Kreyol) with Lakou Mizik and 79ers Gang, along with Preservation Hall Jazz Band as part of a HaitiNola project. 

[Brunty9]

I bought tickets back in May for the gig in Bordeaux as a surprise for our 10 year Wedding Anniversary which was last week. Was wounded when I heard the news. Obviously we're still going with flights and accomodation booked but it's a real shame.

I'd go so far as to say Arcade Fire have been consistently our favourite band over the 19 years since we met. Seen them multiple times in the UK at some great venues (and Glastonbury of course) and thought it would be great to do something different rather than the UK arena.    

Will still be a great weekend I'm sure but it won't quite feel the same. 

[ilovelanegan]

9 hours ago, Brunty9 said:

I bought tickets back in May for the gig in Bordeaux as a surprise for our 10 year Wedding Anniversary which was last week. Was wounded when I heard the news. Obviously we're still going with flights and accomodation booked but it's a real shame.

I'd go so far as to say Arcade Fire have been consistently our favourite band over the 19 years since we met. Seen them multiple times in the UK at some great venues (and Glastonbury of course) and thought it would be great to do something different rather than the UK arena.    

Will still be a great weekend I'm sure but it won't quite feel the same. 

Bordeaux is gorgeous, we were there a couple of weeks ago and I loved it. Amazing food and wine too. Have a great anniversary trip!

[zzzfest]

Sounds like the O2 was sufficiently full, just like the other UK venues on the tour itinerary.

“Well-populated show casts doubt on notions of a boycott while on stage the band fail to reach former heights”

https://www.ft.com/content/9c222716-ae4f-40f5-9084-5d3886798e12

[N.B. If the link doesn’t work, search with the article title, “Arcade Fire plod on at the O2 Arena amid allegations against singer”]

When AF played a one off “warm-up” gig at KOKO back in April, NME, The Guardian and Evening Standard all published glowing five-star reviews. This time the aforementioned Financial Times gave meagre two stars. Given the generally positive responses to their shows on this board, I can imagine the reviewer would have given four if not five stars had it not been for the case. This might tell how hard it can be to perceive the music or the performance for what it is, separating the art from the artist. Easier said than done.

[deBASmode]

2 hours ago, zzzfest said:

Sounds like the O2 was sufficiently full, just like the other UK venues on the tour itinerary.

“Well-populated show casts doubt on notions of a boycott while on stage the band fail to reach former heights”

https://www.ft.com/content/9c222716-ae4f-40f5-9084-5d3886798e12

[N.B. If the link doesn’t work, search with the article title, “Arcade Fire plod on at the O2 Arena amid allegations against singer”]

When AF played a one off “warm-up” gig at KOKO back in April, NME, The Guardian and Evening Standard all published glowing five-star reviews. This time the aforementioned Financial Times gave meagre two stars. Given the generally positive responses to their shows on this board, I can imagine the reviewer would have given four if not five stars had it not been for the case. This might tell how hard it can be to perceive the music or the performance for what it is, separating the art from the artist. Easier said than done.

Saw this on IG from tonight's show in Cologne, taken by Vincent Smith. Looks pretty sparce in comparison to previous shows. 

[zzzfest]

Does anybody remember the allegations?

Arcade Fire duly finished the European tour yesterday, on a high or not.

[FloorFiller]

4 hours ago, zzzfest said:

Does anybody remember the allegations?

Arcade Fire duly finished the European tour yesterday, on a high or not.

They’ve done a good job of basically brushing the allegations under the rug - just played on, didn’t mention it, acted as if nothing had happened, all the while giving apparently great performances and breaking out a lot of old favourites as well to keep people sweet. Was kind of clear from when they opened the first show with Wake Up that they were approaching the whole controversy with a ‘Yeah? Well have a load of this’, and here we are at the end and the tour with nobody really talking about the allegations anymore. Probably go away for a couple of years now and then return as if nothing ever happened. Wasn’t at all how I was expecting it to all go.

[MEGABOWL]

5 hours ago, zzzfest said:

Does anybody remember the allegations?

Arcade Fire duly finished the European tour yesterday, on a high or not.

Yes

[Hutchmaster]

7 hours ago, zzzfest said:

Does anybody remember the allegations?

Arcade Fire duly finished the European tour yesterday, on a high or not.

I reckon if Pitchfork aren't sitting on another drop of "fresh" allegations to time for the start of the NA tour, they'll be somewhat in the clear. As FloorFiller said above, they'll probably take a few years out and come back as if nothing happened. Whether people remember/care enough about the Pitchfork article then, well that remains to be seen.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Hutchmaster

[Suprefan]

22 hours ago, zzzfest said:

Does anybody remember the allegations?

Arcade Fire duly finished the European tour yesterday, on a high or not.

The victims surely remember what happened to them now dont they. 

[Hugh Jass II]

2 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

The victims surely remember what happened to them now dont they. 

Of course they will.

But sadly the media circus will move on, as it already has, and eventually most people will forget beyond those who were affected.

[Riggins]

I won't be seeing again. Just depends how many others will take a similar stance once. I imagine it's a lot easier to not spend £60 on a ticket than deciding to go once you've already spent the money. The favour they gained from their earlier work also stands for a lot less now considering their albums have become increasingly mediocre. 

You'd think surely a lot of festivals wouldn't touch them too surely? 

[Florian Saucer Attack]

49 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Of course they will.

But sadly the media circus will move on, as it already has, and eventually most people will forget beyond those who were affected.

What do you want the media to do? Report the same story every day forever? Do you want the media to report on all the war crimes of WW1 everyday in addition to every other major news story that has ever happened?

If there is no new information then there is nothing to report. 

I also don't believe people will forget this story, the details yes but not the gist of it.

[lighthouse]

7 minutes ago, Riggins said:

I won't be seeing again. Just depends how many others will take a similar stance once. I imagine it's a lot easier to not spend £60 on a ticket than deciding to go once you've already spent the money. The favour they gained from their earlier work also stands for a lot less now considering their albums have become increasingly mediocre. 

You'd think surely a lot of festivals wouldn't touch them too surely? 

They will be all over festival season 2023. 

[lighthouse]

57 minutes ago, Hugh Jass II said:

Of course they will.

But sadly the media circus will move on, as it already has, and eventually most people will forget beyond those who were affected.

Well, members of RHCP and Guns n Roses did stuff in the past that even Butler would be ashamed of thinking about and both bands still fill stadiums worldwide.

People forget what they want to forget. 

[Florian Saucer Attack]

3 minutes ago, lighthouse said:

Well, members of RHCP and Guns n Roses did stuff in the past that even Butler would be ashamed of thinking about and both bands still fill stadiums worldwide.

People forget what they want to forget. 

I don't know about the GnR accusations but Anthony Kiedis committed his crime in the 80's. People are, rightfully, less forgiving of sex crimes that happen now