Arcade Fire

It’s been a long summer for Arcade Fire. They were last in Manchester in March and have been touring pretty much since then, including an exhausting festival schedule. That schedule has taken it’s toll, and not just in a rock star way like when we are told to dance because it’s Sunday night – (in fact it’s Saturday).

	"a band where the music draws you in gradually, unravelling strands as you get deeper and deeper"

Lead man Win Butler was struck down with the lurgy back in March, and whilst he’d recovered for the middle part of the touring, it is back with a vengeance now. He doesn’t let the audience know this until near the very end of the set; just before they launch into a version of The Smiths’ ‘Still Ill’ which is part tribute to the City he’s playing in, part self pity.

He should have told us earlier, as it provided a reason as to why this gig seemed so muted. In the summer Butler had been more talkative, in realisation that increasing stature meant an increasing responsibility to engage your audience, but that between song animation had gone tonight.

There were two other problems. Firstly, seated gigs. Maybe I was on row ‘unlucky’, but what is it with these people? Every minute there is someone causing me to shift my knees sideways as they barge past to drink/pee in cycles. For a band where the music draws you in gradually, unravelling strands as you get deeper and deeper, having someone tap on your shoulder just as you begin to feel it is an irritation, to put it mildly.

Finally, there was the familiarity. For those who’ve seen the band already this year, it was all a bit predictable as the set has barely altered. Plus, you can usually guess what’s coming next, probably by the instrument Régine Chassagne is playing. For example, she holds the hurdy gurdy during opener ‘Black Mirror’ so you know ‘Keep the Car Running’ will follow. They always follow ‘Power Out’ with ‘Rebellion (Lies)’ as they like to meld the former to the latter. They need to mix it up a bit, even if only to keep it interesting for themselves.

But despite all this, there was still plenty to enjoy, and during the main set it is the quieter songs that stand out – ‘In the Backseat’ mesmerises and ‘Ocean of Noise’ is quite simply gorgeous, but it is the evangelical encore of ‘Intervention’ and ‘Wake Up’ which finally has the audience on their feet – demonstrating the reason I prefer ‘Wake Up’ as an opener, as its effect on the audience is indeed that. The sound fills the cavernous spaces without any problems at all, and you can still pick up the intricacies of the songs should you tune your ear in the right direction.

It’s just the venue that ruins it for some. Apparently this was the Arcade Fire’s biggest ever indoor gig – some 20000 people had as-near-as-dammit filled the MEN arena on the night. By default, it was also mine, as despite gig going in the Manchester area for over 20 years, I’d always swerved this place, thinking it would be just too big for my liking. Always trust your instinct, as while the band will no doubt be back, I won’t.

FUTURE GIGS

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