Live Review

Arcade Fire – MEN Arena

• 3rd Sep 2011

We reviewed Noah & The Whale at the Ritz back in May and it was apparent then as it was at the MEN on Wednesday night that this is a band moving forward at rapid pace. Gone is the ukulele on 5 Years Time, instead replaced by Charlie Finks electric guitar. Indeed, the Nu-Folk sound that brought Noah & The Whale to the dance back in 2007 has almost completely disappeared. There are still lush harmonies and delicate violin lines to be found here and there but in general the breezy folk vibes have been replaced by something altogether cooler. The rock stomp of Give it all Back and the soaring chorus of Life is Life make Noah & The Whale sound like a band reborn. Tonight’s The Kind Of Night pulsates along to a throbbing groove and rises to a glorious crescendo eliciting the biggest response of the set from the enormous crowd. (special mention goes to Finks nifty footwork on this one). Waiting For My Chance To Come showcases Fink’s talents for penning a lyric that manages to be heartfelt and timeless without ever giving to much away. Finally the superb L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N unites the arena in a sing along to close the set. Noah & The Whale have announced a headlining UK tour for October and who knows, they could have changed their approach again by then. That’s what makes them a beacon of light amongst their contemporaries. Get your ticket now, because one thing is for certain – it is not to be missed.

It’s been a whirlwind year for Arcade Fire. Adored by critics and public alike, they can do no wrong. Countless awards (including beating Lady Gaga and Eminem to the Grammy for best album in February) and the Huge Hyde Park gig in London have cemented the Canadian rockers place as a huge force in music. The thing that so delights critics is that the success has been achieved on their own terms. In an industry that seems to be increasingly more about celebrity rather than the art that spawned it, Arcade Fire are a breath of fresh air. There are no product endorsements or tacky collaborations; it is simply about making the best music they can make.
For the fans, Win Butler and Co have taken on an almost messianic quality. The records are sonically unique and steeped in interesting reference points. As a live act, as one jubilant Mancunian gig goer was overheard enthusing after the show – “THEY JUST HAVE IT!”
“Get out of your seats” shouts Butler on second song Keep The Car Running, he needn’t have bothered, no one was considering sitting down all night. The Canadian 8 piece stormed through a 17 song set which drew on material from each of their three albums. Haiti and No Cars Go were outstanding, whilst the cult-like audience participation on Wake Up threatened to take the roof off. Things chilled out a little with the newest song from the set Speaking In Tongues. Whilst not as musically adventurous as their back catalogue it is undeniably superbly crafted and indicates that Arcade Fire aren’t about to run out of creative juices anytime soon. Rebellion and The Suburbs closed the show to a massive ovation. This was a celebration of a band riding the crest of a wave, artist and audience joined as one in a glorious, spontaneous enjoyment of great music played well. Arcade Fire are unquestionably the band of the moment, the band of the people.