Arcade Fire @ Webster Hall
Arcade Fire (or The Arcade Fire ... they don't seem to care either way) took the stage a few hours later than we anticipated (Conan O'Brien's fault, according to Win). That meant ample time to peoplewatch and play with Sidekicks. Here's my Sidekick photo of Ultra on her Sidekick.
This is the setlist (thanks everyone for filling in the gaps).
Wake UpThis was my third time seeing Arcade Fire and they've never sounded better. Brooklyn Vegan has a couple of pics from the show. The band plays Irving Plaza tonight.
#2
No Cars Go
Haiti
Vampire Forest Fire
Burning Bridges
#4
Une Annee Sans Lumiere
#3
Rebellion
Crown Of Love
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#1
In The Backseat
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Headlights Like Diamonds
We all know you and your friends have been talking AF up for months, but outside the blogosphere they're just blowing up now (how long before Laika ringtones?). With M. Ward's new one out later this month and Spoon's Gimme Fiction dropping 5/10, it sounds like Merge Records is gonna have a buzzy spring.
Arcade Fire trucks via Jennypants who also has photos and video from last night.
UPDATE: Don't know how I missed this: Arcadefire.net's got an MP3 demo of my fave AF tune, "Neighborhood #3."
Posted at 10:02 AM
do you have any final fantasy songs? i really liked his stuff.
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Anyone have a link to their performance on conan last night? heard that was great too...
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heres the exact setlist (written on a paper plate):
Wake Up
Laika
No Cars Go
Haiti
Vampire Forest Fire
Burning Bridges
7 Kettles
Une Annee Sans Lumiere
Power Out
Rebellion Lies
e:Crown Of Love
Neighborhood 1 (Tunnels)
In The Backseat
Headlights Look Like Diamonds
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some photos from the show: http://tastesgood.org/2005/06.html#050202005901
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FYI: If you liked Final Fantasy, check out Andrew Bird's most recent, Weather Systems. He opened for the Magnetic Fields last spring and did a similar violin+loops+voice thing. Did anyone see Final Fantasy merchandise?
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Late to the party: I watched Arcade Fire last night on Conan, (I had never seen them before...) WTF?? They were like a 9th-grade garage band rip off of the Talking Heads mixed with the Kids of Widney High: http://www.kidsofwidneyhigh.com/ Completely horrible and retarded. Help me out here: I thought music was supposed to aspire to be "good" and not just a bunch of amateurs screeching over accordions? Can anyone who picks up an object from a thrift store and hits it with a drumstick get signed and appear on TV now? Cause my dog is really itching to put an album out, he sounds great howling along with the ambulance sirens as they pass the house.
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Puking Heads:
Eggsactly what I've been saying all along! You can't swing a dead cat through the blogosphere without hitting some neo-hipster extolling the virtues of Arcade Fire. I personally don't get it. As an aging music fan, I don't see the appeal. (BTW: I'm 37 and saw Low/Pedro the Lion last night, so my tastes run different)
Oh well, they'll have their 15 minutes, and the kids will latch on to the "Nest Big Thing" soon enough.
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i posted a few pics on my site as well:
http://brassbonanza.blogspot.com
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yeah, i have to say that i didnt get it that much until i saw them live...it really makes a difference
first time was in a church basement, the sound blew so it was only good.
this time, in philly, i was blown away...
but good luck with the cynicism and the aging.
- aging as well, but maybe better, like good cheese
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Yeah, Arcade Fire is getting Huuuuuge. They are playing them on KROQ now, and the album is constantly in Amazon's top sellers.
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I don't think that you have a valid argument there, zack. First of all, I don't believe in ageism. When I was in high school, the underground music I listened to was appreciated by my friends in their 30's/40's/whatever. I'm not trying to slam every new band that comes out, but seriously, Arcade Fire is simply "shit"...not "the shit"...whatever reasons someone has for latching on to them is their own business, but don't try to tell me that what i saw last night had anything to do with musical talent or ability. It's sloppy and half baked, have your standards been lowered so much that you will eat anything that's put in front of you??? Is it that compared to Ashlee Simpson or Britney Spears this seems "genius" to you? Or that simply because it's released by someone in your age/peer group you will support it, thinking it's "funny" to piss off "old people" by listening to the crappiest thing you can find? They are like the local "joke" band that gets to open up for Primus or Gwar, but never (for good reason) gets beyond that local scene of their high school friends...except this band did, and is on national television, and it's proof of the dumbing down of musical culture. You can have them, and take your ageism and shove it up your ass. I have 60,000 records in my house, maybe twice as many CD's, so I think I know a shit band when I hear one.
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puking, you can own every record ever made and it doesn't mean you have good taste. consumerism does not mean you are king shit of qualitative music judgement...it's still just one fools opinion (just like this comment).
but feel free to not like them, i doubt the people that do like them really care what you think. they're not anything terribly amazing, but they're better than a lot of the crap out there.
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Did you watch the same show I did? Drunk off your puking head ass? Have you listened to their CD?
Oh, and I only like music that pisses old geezers off. I often run up to seniors at Wal-Mart and scream in their face: I love the Arcade Fire! And these old timers have fucking heart attacks. Try it some time.
Maybe energy and beauty and fun, maybe these things are lost on you, as the Arcade Fire are far from a 'joke' band; I don't think I could pick up some guitars, accordians, drums, motocycle helmets and violins and just mish mash them together into anything cohesive, anything beautiful. And I'm pretty sure the writer's of Rolling Stone, the Village Voice, etc, etc, aren't too young, nor hip, really.
All that said, Laika is my least favorite song on the album. Maybe you should, oh I don't know, listen to some of their songs instead of just listening to one and declaring them shit.
But then again, if you don't think two people making beating each other's motorcycled head is fucking awesome, well, we'll have to agree to disagree.
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Video & Audio here:
http://www.ambitious-outsiders.com/lowerindex.html
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shaun: no I will not buy thier CD, because although 'jt' is of the opinion that I am a "consumer" for having hundreds of thousands of records in my collection, in fact, I am a DJ and a music collector/archivist. I have records that are amazing and some that are unlistenable, and then I have my favorites. When i get paid to spin in a club, they are not shelling out the big bucks to hear only my favorites, I have to bend to popular tastes and I'm telling you that this band will never grace my turntable, they are THAT BAD. I wouldn't even take a $200 tip to play it, I find nothing redeeming about them whatsoever.
And I don't need to hear anything more from them to know exactly what they are about: a 4th-rate local joke band that got lucky. The fact that this band got on national TV as a representative of current music confirms that the music culture as a whole is suffering and declining. I have seen, oh, i don't know, about 25 bands that do the "quirky" "ironic thrift store badness" "borderline retarded" act far better than these people. Beating on motorcycle helmets? Again, it's BEEN DONE and better. And no, i don't think it's particularly interesting or funny. But you do, because you haven't seen it before, and/or you are easily impressed. And so it goes. Have fun, but i wouldn't waste my time giving them another shot to bore me to death. They can't play their instruments and they can't fucking sing, and to me that means "they suck". There's too much good music available to bother with some flavor of the minute joke band, sorry. Widen your listening horizons and maybe you won't be so impressed with every art school dropout banging on pots and pans that comes across your path.
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arcade fire are average. but i suppose compared to the other awful indie bands gaining popularity *cough* blocpartythekillers, they may sound like the best thing you have ever heard. I wish interpols cd blew everyone away this year...maybe next time.
Listen to autolux!
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Puking Head, you are a fucking indie elistist snob and nobody gives two shits that you are a dj or anything. if you don't like the band fine, but shut the fuck up and stop replying to a thread about said band. What a fucking grumpy old cocksucker. Go listen to Suicide or whatever other elistist indie shit you have and leave the arcade fire to me.
P.S. Name one other band who has banged on each other's motorcycle helmets. What a fucking toolbag you are.
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will: sorry, but you have no say where, when or what I write about! Boo fucking hoo. Anyway, yes, in fact people do care about what I think about music, that's why THEY PAY ME TO PICK IT OUT for losers like you who pay $25 a head to come into the clubs i spin at, just think about it. And as far as naming lame local "indie" bands that hit each other's heads, etc. during performances, my point was that every trying-too-hard uninventive joke band that has toured through my city over the past 15 years has done something similar: and why would I bother listing them when nobody has ever heard of these bands? [Just like your buddies in Arcade Fire three years from now: Arcade who?] If you think that this is the one thing that makes them unique, then I really do pity you. But yes, actually, i have seen that same exact thing before: I believe that the aweful joke band "Green Jello" [which became Green Jelly] did a show where a few members were wearing 'tard helmets and kneepads and were 'playing' each other with drumsticks. So, I might be a 'tool', but at least that makes me useful, chief. Can't say the same about you.
You keep swallowing whatever garbage your little friends tell you is cool, and i'll keep getting paid in full to start trends and break new acts in nightclubs. Over and out.
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what a fucking arrogant cunt you are,
calling the people who you make your money from losers, really classy. I'm glad you didn't comment on the fact that you are an elitist music snob, the scum of the earth. Have fun with your arms crossed at shows thinking that everything has been done before. What an arrogant cocksucker, hahaha, you are pathetic man, and the fact that you are like 45 makes you an even bigger toolbag, even if you think that gives you "cred." Have fun listening to merzbow and fennesz you fucking elitist motherfucking scumbag. I'm sure your sweet "dj" gigs are a fucking blast. HA how pathetic can you be. And just to let you know, i would never pay 25 bucks to hear some grandpa play some shitty tunes on vinyl, cause thats the only way to listen to the music man. Get some originality, you are just like every other elitist music snob motherfucker. And I'm Out.
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kudos to puking head for calling out this very average band. i'm so sick of everyone saying "but you've got to see them live, man!"
listen, i've heard the album and based on that, i'd never ever want to see them live, ok?
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seeing them live really is like, 10 times better than listening to them in your armchair while sitting at home in the den. they're just one of those bands.
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i love you guys. seriously, you guys crack me up. some people love arcade fire. that doesn't make them stupid. some people think they have something really special going on that may not be technical proficiancy, but is exciting and has them excited about music. maybe they're just not your band. you'll never like them/get them and that's cool, whatever, but the people who love arcade fire aren't wrong, they just tryin to do their thing. you know, keep it real? i'm just saying.
plus arcade fire rocks to infinity.
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David Byrne came out for the finale at Irving Plaza last night, a cover of "Naive Melody" (?).
Amazing show. I know people are sick of hearing the hype, but they are a great, interesting band, especially live.
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puking guy -
i'm not sure what all those "quotes" were in your post referencing me.
did i say any of that?
as for being "age-ist"...well, i'm nearly as "aged" as you are, but maybe a bit more open-minded.
and less bitter/confrontational as well.
i dont need my bands/musicians to be virtuosos, but to show some talent, some energy and put on a great show. not to mention be able to work with a decent producer to put a good album.
i think arcade fire has done this, and done it pretty well.
have a fun time at your next show
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Wow, Puking you're a little tense. I agree with you that the Arcade Fire don't rate my time, but you can't demean others for listening to them. Your tone implies just that.
My point is that they seem to be "the next big thing", but they'll probably go the way of the dinosaur. the kids will find the new next big thing, and we'll still have something to bitch about.
By the way, I'm listening to a delightful Bob Mould bootleg from Vienna in 1991. I'm old. Where's my walker, turn down that crap, make me some toast.
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Puking, will you marry me?
Kids, it's called industrial. I don't mean Limp Bizkit or any of those other bands with mispelled names I'm talking about Barry Adamson onstage playing chains. Throwing cardboard boxes down the stairs with little bits of whoknowswhat in them. Tin maching using a lipstick vibrator as a slide. People were doing this in the 80s. I saw Pigface once and the singer from the opening band took a swig of water gargled through a vocoder. It did indeed sound cool. If you like AF, you might want to try other things as well? Listen, there are a over 100 years of recorded music. Why limit yourself? Remember, anytime you think something's TOTALLY original in any of the arts you're 99.9% likely to be wrong.
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If you folks could channel all this Arcade Fire love/ hate into something meaningful and relevant, maybe the world would be a better place. Don't sit here and write long, empassioned comments; go teach kids to read, or paint a picture or plant a garden or something where all this passion can be vented. ITS FUCKING MUSIC YOU HIPSTERS...ITS NOT THAT IMPORTANT. Maybe when the Arcade Fire cures cancer or ones knowledge of rare Thrill Jockey seven inchers proves to be the key to middle east peace, then it will be worth the efforts, but damn!! I happen to like Arcade Fire but also know that in a years time the next "next big thing" will come along and rehash what has been displayed here. It's a vicious cycle, and the only ones who have anything to gain are the ones peddling this stuff.
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Amen Janine, amen. I recently discovered this band called The United States of America, a psychadelic act that did some crazy stuff such as amplifying a jug and blowing on it as percussion.
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I thought the Conan performance was indeed shit. The band sounded tired and the results were sloppy.
That said,the record is great as are the live shows I've seen. Better than much of the current landscape.
Judging the band (especially a young band) on a single TV performance taped whilst the band is in the thick of an extensive tour is a bit harsh, and I can't help but question the musical intelligence of anyone who would, regardless of age, size of record collection, or occupation.
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whew.
this is wierd.
did anyone on here say that arcade fire was the end-all/be-all for music?
did anyone say they dont listen to anything else?
does it help to name-drop bands in order to show that another band isnt as good as...whatever
yes janine, nothing is original.
you go girl
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what song did they do on conan? i was at the show and missed it!
m
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Someone had a link to video/audio up there, matt, but here's another one:
http://smallflightlessbird.blogspot.com/2005/02/video-of-arcade-fire-on-conan.html
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I always thought Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) sounded like PiL, but with less braying and more electric violin.
I was at Tuesday's show. I had a great time, even though everything was waaaay behind schedule. (And oh-my-god I was about to *kill* [well cock-punch or break the pinky fingers of] those truly awful cunts standing in front of me shouting at the top of their lungs during Final Fantasy. I am "old"--30, hee--so I have no patience for annoying people.)
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puking head: The beauty of opinion is you get to have one. Imposing your views on others isn't a nice thing to do. And doing DJ work myself, I know better than to bite the hand that feeds me. Calling the people that spend $25 to get in, and attend your shows "losers" isn't a good idea. You won't get far with that kind of attitude. Learn to be more appreciative towards music and people that don't agree with you, it's part of growing up.
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Arcade Fire are amazing. I'm an aging guy who has loved music forever and I know great when I hear/see it. And I've got David Byrne and David Bowie on my side, so the opinion of some failing DJ really doesn't mean anything.
Their appeal is way beyond media hype or the blogosphere. They're going to get even bigger because they're fucking talented as hell and people are loving them.
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http://amandaudoff.typepad.com/arcadefire%20-%20conan.avi
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anyone else here interested in music because they enjoy listening to it, and not to fuel a pathetic hipster halo that's governed by what's "original" and "cutting edge" and the place of bands in the current youth hierarchy of "cool"? people who are forever haughtily dismissing the current "big thing" because they want to feel superior to the masses turn out to be sad old fuckers who are sitting alone in their one-bedroom bachelor pad on their 50th birthday listening to crackly bootlegs of the 13th Floor Elevators whilst scratching their balls.
i like the Arcade Fire. their music is exciting, invigorating and fascinating to me. that's it. i couldn't give a flying 747 fuck about whether what they are doing can be seen to have "been done".
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What's with all the bitterness by these assholes. No one's holding a gun to your head to make you listen to the music. Jesus Christ. You don't have to insult the band, just because they're not your taste. So what if you know the most unknown fuckin' indie band there is. It doesn't impress us. It's people like you bastards that reminds me of why rock has sort of taken a dive. You can't just appreciate that they're pouring their hearts into their music and people are responding to it positively. And you fail to recognize that Arcade fire is doing something different and innovative with their music, but not only that, their live perfomances have raised the bar. You don't have to like them but don't insult them or just because you feel like you know more about music and you think you can compare them to other bands, because that's all bullshit and you know it. If you think they're such shit then keep it to yourself. You can die happy listening to music that makes you feel elite. Arcade Fire fans don't need your approval. Bitter old bastard.
P.S. Arcade Fire is fuckin A+++
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