Arcade Fire @ The Austin City Limits Taping, Austin 9/14/07
When you walk into the KLRU studios, home of the always awesome Austin City Limits public broadcast live music show, you get hit with a couple of ground rules: no pictures (hence the juicy program shot), no excessive moving (don't want to distract the home audience), and stay within the lines (the chalk lines, that is, cordoning off the allowed standing areas so as to allow the TV cameras unfettered movement). Win couldn't do much about the photo policy, but he made sure to annihilate the other guidelines. "Do they allow you to stand up, 'cause you can stand the fuck up, please." That wasn't a question! But if it was, judging by the crowd's quick jump he wouldn't have had to ask twice.
Last year, we were lucky enough to have an ecstatic moment at Sufjan's Austin City Limits taping, so passing up an opp to see the mighty, melodramatic Arcade Fire in the studios' perfect acoustics and intimate setting just wasn't gonna happen. Win had us get up right after an opening "Black Mirror," before a swingin' "Keep The Car Running," and the rest of the show was about as epic as you'd expect. The set comprised fifteen tunes -- six Funeral, nine Neon -- and was performed for a mixed audience of every-word singers and Fire neophytes. We sat near a pair of the latter; they walked out gushing about "instrumentation" and the tunes being "anthemic" (and one of 'em kindly snagged us a setlist -- thanks!). Converting folks at every turn, still. Calexico 'n' Norah's fave "Ocean Of Noise" (the Bible's true contribution to the Great Indie Songbook) was a stunner as always, but shit was lost collectively on the "Tunnels"/"Lights Out"/"Rebellion"/"Wake Up" closing sequence. That's about when Win jumped into the crowd and told the floor kids "Don't you fucking dare" stay within the chalk-lines. Poor camera folks, lucky floor kids.
And, two notes for AF buffs...
Ever notice Win cross himself after the closing lyric of "(Antichrist Television Blues)"? That was a first for us, and we've seen 'em play it a couple of times. Also, didn't Mr. Butler smash up that Sak Vid Pa Kanpe acoustic at SNL? Well Win's got a new one, embossed with sparkly lettering and surviving last night's show. An empty sack does not stand up, but the Fire made sure the rest of us did. See what we did there?! Right. Sorry.
Not sure about air date, but let's hope some clips come down the pike soon. From there it was off to the Hot Freaks gig (post TK). Kill some time with the AF ACL setlist and stage directions.
Posted at 5:21 PM in Concert
Tags: Arcade Fire | Austin City Limits
i love the arcade fire a lot. i want to be in austin right now badly.
Posted by: jack at September 15, 2007 5:43 PM | ReplyScore = 0
thanks for review. anybody know when the show airing? one day i will see them. i can probably die then.
Posted by: ignacio at September 15, 2007 5:52 PM | ReplyScore = 0
ignacio, you can die, you skanky ho/ try to cop my flow but your skillz are pitifo/ arace fire should retire and wallow in their woe/ wiggity wiggity body is a cage f'sho/ a cage filled with bird shit and bullshit and man dick/ the singer dude saw me in the audience and straight up demanded/ that i plow his butthole with my one eyed bandit/ and i did, and little kids came and watched in spandex/ my rolex watch is bigger than dan deacon's cocks/ all four of them, when he walks the blocks/ fuck arcade fire, dan deacon is on some real shit/ he has some huge dicks and forty eight clits/ and those clits take shits on detached military lips/ silly hairy nips on your knees for trees and egg sips...battle me and i'll fart on helena bonham carter's tits
Posted by: cockballz at September 15, 2007 6:39 PM | ReplyScore = 0
I was there... and in line at 6am. All of you "guaranteed admission" people SUCK!
... one of the best nights of my life though... definitely worth the 14 hour wait.
Posted by: jen at September 15, 2007 6:50 PM | ReplyScore = 0
I saw you in line early Jen! Props to you line waiters. Check out the photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sararobertson/sets/72157602016206541/
Posted by: sara at September 15, 2007 8:13 PM | ReplyScore = 0
I've lived in Austin for 7 years, and I still haven't been to an ACL taping. I need to fix that.
Sounds like an awesome show, I can't wait to see it.
Posted by: Amanda at September 15, 2007 9:22 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Win seems like such a dick.
Speaking of which, I don't even want to think about how that giant sleeps with Regine. She must be in pain, from sleeping with that monster. shudders
Posted by: Kanye at September 16, 2007 12:09 AM | ReplyScore = 0
I was there too!!!
That whole last medley... was just awesome.
I was one of the floor kids...and I was extremely happy I didnt decide to get a seat. It was probably the best show Ive ever been to.
Anyone know when its going to air?
Posted by: Jeremy at September 16, 2007 12:40 AM | ReplyScore = 0
I was there too!!!
That whole last medley... was just awesome.
I was one of the floor kids...and I was extremely happy I didnt decide to get a seat. It was probably the best show Ive ever been to.
Anyone know when its going to air?
Posted by: Jeremy at September 16, 2007 12:43 AM | ReplyScore = 0
"Calexico 'n' Norah's fave "Ocean Of Noise" (the Bible's true contribution to the Great Indie Songbook)."
Whoever wrote that sentence deserves a brick to the face.
Posted by: Shea at September 16, 2007 3:40 AM | ReplyScore = 0
The one and only reason I can think of to live in Texas.
It completely sucks that my local PBS stations do not air ACL.
Posted by: tiffany at September 16, 2007 5:41 AM | ReplyScore = 0
Aw man, I can't wait to watch this..in HD, no less!
Posted by: Evan at September 16, 2007 10:24 AM | ReplyScore = 0
Really jealous. Hopefully their set list is just as long for other concert dates.
Posted by: Paul at September 16, 2007 11:05 AM | ReplyScore = 0
jesus christ the word "anthemic" needs to stop being used.
Posted by: nick at September 16, 2007 12:12 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Hey shea -- sounds great, I love bricks! I'm in Austin for one more day, then back to nyc. Thx!
Posted by: amrit at September 16, 2007 1:09 PM | ReplyScore = 0
cockballz, you are my hero.
Posted by: Liam at September 16, 2007 5:22 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Damn, Sarah is hot.
Posted by: Greg at September 16, 2007 8:54 PM | ReplyScore = 0
Check out the Postelles at
www.myspace.com/thepostelles
if you like The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys.
Posted by: Robby at September 17, 2007 4:05 AM | ReplyScore = 0
If by 'Lights Out' you mean 'Power Out'.
Posted by: Finchmeister at September 17, 2007 12:28 PM | ReplyScore = 0
hello,
i was there too, and i have to say like jen, it was one of the best days i have ever had! i was number ELEVEN in line... got to go straight to the front of the floor kids. when WIN came down into the crowd, i nearly flipped out. the absolute mayhem at the end was so much fun. i hope they don't edit it out of the tv show - it was the best part.
after the show, i stalked around out back and got autographs from WIN and WILL. i lit the drummer's cigarette, too! they were very very very nice and very gracious too. i asked will if he had fun, and he said "that was awesome... it was just like a good club show".
regine couldn't be bothered for an autograph due to her agent or some lady protectively herding her to the van. and i asked the fiddle girls if i could please snap their photo in the van, but they said NO.
the whole thing was LEGENDARY and i feel so honored to have gotten to be a part of that night.
thank you very much!
(jen, i got your number after the show and i will call you this week. i think we should be BFFs now.)
Posted by: us kids know. at September 17, 2007 2:24 PM | ReplyScore = 0
i saw them last night at red rocks, and i'm almost 100% sure win didn't cross himself after (a.vt.b). amazing show though. they handled the altitude infinitely better than lcd soundsystem.
Posted by: andy at September 18, 2007 6:39 PM | ReplyScore = 0
The LCD Soundsystem and Arcade Fire Bill probably can't be beat. I was going to head from Chicago to Columbus to see this. I would rather pay 20 bucks for two different nights.
Posted by: Joseph O'Fallon at September 25, 2007 2:14 PM | ReplyI have never been big on Les Savy Fav until I heard this new album, it's incredible, and now I think I might make the Columbus trek.
Do you think, this tour will catch on nationwide?
I'm sure Chicago would be added soon if the tour expands one more time
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