The District is reeling from last night's Arcade Fire show—it really lived up to the hype. Easily the best show I've seen in years and more than enough to dispel the mounting anti-hype from my mind. I was sold. "Une Annee Sans Lumiere," "Laika," and "Power Out" all owned pretty hard.
Also good was the opener, Final Fantasy, the Google-proof nom de guerre of the too-fey-by-half Owen Pallett. The guy gets on stage with a violin and a necktie for a belt, professes that he's homesick for Canada ("snuggling" was cited as something he's been missing in the States), and tells uber-blue DC that paying higher taxes makes for better sex. I'm not sure whether he in fact stole every last heart in the audience, but the music was novel—he loops tracks with a foot pedal (a la math rockers Don Caballero) and thereby builds a whole violin section sound, then sings about Canada and AD&D and universal healthcare and what have you over the top. Here's a cover of Joanna Newsome's "Peach, Plum, Pear"—which is funny in itself, all these indie kids from orchestra going at it—and there's some songs online from his other band, Les Mouches, if'n you care to hear.
Since I live a block or so from the venue, I invited some folks over to pregame and christen my new charcoal smoker. Eight pounds of brisket, eight pounds of ribs: I started the fire at about 8:00 a.m. and smoked the meat until 5:00 p.m. Despite fighting with the cold to keep the fire at a solid 200 degrees (and fighting with Susan because I was losing the fight with the cold), the barbecue turned out mighty fine. I'll link to some pictures if the shutterbugs who were over last night post them.
So—if the Arcade Fire comes through your neighborhood, go see them. Try to show up early and wander around until someone offers you brisket. Watch out for Owen, who will steal your girlfriend. And be forewarned that all this Canadian fun is going to have you asking yourself why you still bother with the States
[More on the show: Matthew can't figure out how much he paid for his ticket; Susan is pleased; DCist has photo evidence.]
Posted by Kriston at January 31, 2005 12:15 PMI saw the same line-up here in Austin. I, as well as most of the audience at Emo's was skeptical of Final Fantasy (terrible name) when he got up there solo, but I thought he was fantastic.
The Arcade Fire needs no praise. Brilliant. In the top 5 of best shows I've seen.
Posted by: R™ at February 1, 2005 11:27 AMOh... and they did a cover of the Talking Heads' "This Must Be the Place," with a steel drum that was utterly satisfying.
Posted by: R™ at February 1, 2005 11:30 AMI found your site by mistake, and all I know is what your 'stats' say, but I admire your move and your pub game on Monday night. I moved to New Orleans from Chicago for no reason at all. And now I am the arts & entertainment listings editor at an alternative weekly. I came down here on the train with a suitcase because I'm romantic and was tired of everything. I too saw the Arcade Fire, from a balcony. I felt I was watching a classical concert of the gypsy punks who live down here. AF has an affinity for New Orleans' music. Nice to run into you. Hope everbody's treating you well.
Posted by: Katie at February 2, 2005 11:36 AMI'm going to have to dispute your analysis of Final Fantasy. The looping pedal is in no way novel, and is, in fact, the amateur’s weapon of choice these days. Any bloke with $75 bucks can suddenly sound like 15 blokes play simultaneously with this little contraption. Clearly you did not spend enough time in college listening to bland young men alone on coffee shop stages with only a guitar and the cursed looper pedal to make their musical wonderment, or you would have seen straight through this novice gimmick. As for his lyrics, he might not be telling you your body is a wonderland, but it’s really not too far off. His terrain is the all-too-well traversed arena of singer/songwriter.
As far as the Arcade Fire, all I have to say is, thank you, Canada.
Posted by: genevieve at February 7, 2005 4:45 PM