In The Flesh...Arcade Fire @ MTS Centre
>> Friday 24 September 2010
Arcade Fire w/ Calexico
The MTS Centre
Winnipeg, MB
September 23, 2010
Calexico
Arcade Fire
For the second time in three days, our city was the place to be for transcendent live music. Take that, rest of the world.
Now I must admit after Tuesday’s eye-popping, jaw-dropping, synapse-frying Flaming Lips experience, my expectations were low heading into last night’s Arcade Fire show. No way, I thought, Arcade Fire come close to that.
Should’ve known better.
Arcade Fire are easily deserving of the all the hyperbolic ballyhoo that blazes behind them like a comet’s tail. Critical praise? Deserved! Billboard #1? Deserved! The only band to play the Daily Show in, what, two years? Deserved! And, most importantly, they deserve their incipient reputation as a killer, must-see, top live entity, with last night epitomizing everything an arena concert should be: engrossing, rocking, moving, rocking, inspiring, ear-splitting, energizing, rocking and, well, just amazing.
Part of the magic behind the evening was the over-caffeinated energy and assured presence all eight members of the band brought to the stage (and sometimes into the crowd). Part stemmed from the carefully considered set list (Funeral tracks were interspersed throughout and consistently triggered minor explosions of delight). But, most importantly, part sprung from the collective good time everyone seemed to be having.
And as someone naturally reserved about singing and dancing along, even I couldn’t resist joining the raging party.
6 comments:
I had an absolutely great time at that show. For me, I think it topped their first visit to Winnipeg, which was also absolutely great.
The only thing about that show that surprised me was the lack of crazy displays. When I go to the MTS Centre for a show, I'm expecting to see some interesting sets, displays, and general razzle dazzle. That screen in the background wasn't much to look at. I barely glanced at it actually. Despite the somewhat lacking visual spectacle, their showmanship more than made up for it, and looking back, I guess they simply don't need no stinkin' razzle dazzle.
Arcade Fire knows how to rock the party.
Also, I was expecting to see this video on the screen while they played "We Used To Wait".
http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/
Would have been neat to see a bunch of trees popping up around the MTS Centre on Google Maps!
was a great show, but was not as good as their first trip to wpg.
Despite the lack of confetti and balloons that Flaming Lips provided on Tuesday night, I agree that there was no need for that type of razzle dazzle for Arcade Fire’s performance. I couldn’t help but notice how EVERYONE at the MTS center were out of their seats singing along and dancing.
yes yes yes.
Ha ha. Before Arcade Fire came on, I remember commenting to my fiancée, "I'll bet Mykael is somewhere here."
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