It was fitting that it was on a cold, wet and blustery Dublin night that the Arcade Fire came to town. Here to promote Neon Bible, a record soaked in references to bodies of water (oceans, seas, wells) and adorned with sounds of tumultuous winds and ominous thunder, the night was a comforting reassurance that it was probably meant to be this way.
We took refuge from the weather in the Olympia Theatre last night. A real sense of expectation could be felt – tickets were hard to come by and as far as I’m aware no further tickets were reclaimed from touts (who were out in force – “Canadian Superstars! – One Night Only”) as in previous cities.
Support Patrick Wolf was a mere sideshow to the main event – an act to stave off the boredom of the two hour wait, as he pranced around the stage flamboyantly – all style no substance. A poor man’s Adam Ant dressed in garb that placed him as a camp English schoolboy complete with shorts, bright red hair and glitter. If Peter from Narnia had grown up in modern times perhaps Patrick Wolf would be his alter-ego. Regardless of his preppy look, every song reminded me strongly of some song I’d heard before. In fact so blatant was the lifting of melodies, that Amy my cohort for the evening managed to pinpoint exact melodies from other songs that we could hear taking in REM, The Cure amongst others. No matter though, It was better than staring at an empty stage.
While we were waiting I met the quintessential Arcade Fire fan – Eyebrowy style. The guy was clearly a bit pissed but he first asked me bizarrely – “Do you like the Arcade Fire?” only to elaborate how he’s seen them 5 times and was at their first gig in the Sub-Zero (!?) club in Canada. He then repeated this as if he was trying to make it true or with the hope that somebody would latch onto him. The only thing he was missing was a “I SAW THE ARCADE FIRE BEFORE YOU” t-shirt.
My previous visits to the Olympia gave me the impression that the music had to be finished by 11, but it was close to 10 before the troupe of 10 Arcade Fire members took the stage. Starting with “Keep the Car Running” and “Black Mirror” I felt the sound was bad, I couldn’t hear Win’s vocals but the renditions of “No Cars Go” and “Haiti” made me forget my woes. During “Haiti” and throughout the rest of the night, Régine was pleasantly theatrical in her movements (Patrick Wolf take note!) and growled the backing vocals at the front row – baring her teeth before smiling from ear to ear. I was delighted to hear “Black Wave / Bad Vibrations” get an airing (see below) but “My Body is a Cage” was a revelation. Win went stage left to play the organ and the song sounded monstrous, the lyrics seemed to me to be quite poignant and suited the live context – “I’m standing on the stage / Of fear and self-doubt / It’s a hollow play / But they’ll clap anyway”.
Black Wave / Bad Vibrations Live
The band swap instruments and positions quite a lot, a testament to their talent, but also the intensity in their performances are second to none. They don’t employ the usage of megaphones for nothing you know, as Arcade Fire songs are built on passionate shouts and refrains and the band use the megaphones as an outlet for the joy in being on the stage, playing these songs. At one point, we watched Win’s brother William trash about on the floor with one only to jerk up and shout into it some more. He clearly couldn’t contain himself later on during “Power Out” when he climbed onto the Olympia boxes and up to the Circle seating area above us all the while banging his drum.
“Tunnels” got a massive reaction and as it was quickly followed by 3 other songs from Funeral (“Crown of Love”, “Power Out”, “Rebellion (Lies)” ) the crowd went pretty wild. We were treated to three encores all of which were accepted by the band in a humble state. A thrilling shoutalong version of “Wake Up” deafened the theatre with the crowd singing ahead of the band at the start.
Wake Up Live
“(Antichrist Television Blues)” is as Springsteen as they come, and strangely enough, Fluxblog recently suggested it was about Jessica Simpson’s father, religious but corrupted patriarch of a showbiz kid. “Oh God, would you send me a child? / ‘Cause I wanna put it up on the TV screen /so the world can see what your true word means.”
A final encore in the form of “Neon Bible” some would call anti-climatic but it was a fitting end – the band clearly giving all they had to give. Win is a endearing frontman – workman-like but he has a wide eye and a smile that suggests he’s only just understanding what his band mean in popular music at the present time. As for the overall performance, it was pretty special. The new songs from Neon Bible have an intensity to them which is lacking on Funeral. Where Funeral relies on crescendos and focuses on neighbourhoods, Neon Bible relies on sonics and impending global doom.
As we left the theatre, we felt sated by witnessing such a powerful performance and safe in the knowledge that on this particular night in Dublin, the rain wouldn’t bother us at all.
Set List
Keep the Car Running
Black Mirror
No Cars Go
Haiti
Black Wave/Black Vibrations
My Body is a Cage
The Well and the Lighthouse
Ocean of Noise
Tunnels
Crown of Love
Power Out
Rebellion (Lies)
Intervention
Wake Up
(Antichrist Television Blues)
Neon Bible
MP3
Arcade Fire – Black Mirror
Photos:
My Flickr
Miss Lili’s got loooooads of close-ups! (despite only being there for 2 songs)
Calexdeus’ Flickr
Niall Byrne is the founder of the most-influential Irish music site Nialler9, where he has been writing about music since 2005 . He is the co-host of the Nialler9 Podcast and has written for the Irish Times, Irish Independent, Cara Magazine, Sunday Times, Totally Dublin, Red Bull and more. Niall is a DJ, founder of Lumo Club, club promoter, event curator and producer of gigs, listening parties & events in Dublin.
it was only TWO songs 🙁
but stayed for the whole gig (don’t tell anyone)
diriculous!
congrats 🙂
diriculous!
congrats 🙂
Excellent description of the gig – there was a moment while reading your review that I think I could grasp what it would have been like to be at the gig. So thanks for painting a clear picture.
Good work blogger.
Excellent description of the gig – there was a moment while reading your review that I think I could grasp what it would have been like to be at the gig. So thanks for painting a clear picture.
Good work blogger.
what ‘my real name said’ said.
great post niall. and congrats on the award!
what ‘my real name said’ said.
great post niall. and congrats on the award!
Absolutely stunning gig and a great synopsis Niall.
Absolutely stunning gig and a great synopsis Niall.
Cheers Niall, I’m delighted i refused to go based on my warped anti ticketmaster bias now!!!
Cheers Niall, I’m delighted i refused to go based on my warped anti ticketmaster bias now!!!
I’m so jealous of you! Can you hear me screaming over here in the States?
I’m so jealous of you! Can you hear me screaming over here in the States?
Useless trivia: ‘Neon Bible’ was John Kennedy Toole’s first novel written when he was 16 and published posthumously in 1989.
He won the Pulitzer for ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’- a truly awful book in 1981, some 12 years after topping himself.
AF really seem to love their death buzz.
Useless trivia: ‘Neon Bible’ was John Kennedy Toole’s first novel written when he was 16 and published posthumously in 1989.
He won the Pulitzer for ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’- a truly awful book in 1981, some 12 years after topping himself.
AF really seem to love their death buzz.
AMAZING gig last night. Have put some photees up on my blog.
AMAZING gig last night. Have put some photees up on my blog.
Fookin’ ‘ell. Very good review there. Seems like you didn’t miss a thing and nice vids and pics to boot. AF are due a backlash soon enough, but until that kicks in we can enjoy all this. Lucky for me ’twas almost impossible to get tickets otherwise I’d be kicking myself right now. Aggg, I just had another look at what you’d written – I am kicking myself.
Fookin’ ‘ell. Very good review there. Seems like you didn’t miss a thing and nice vids and pics to boot. AF are due a backlash soon enough, but until that kicks in we can enjoy all this. Lucky for me ’twas almost impossible to get tickets otherwise I’d be kicking myself right now. Aggg, I just had another look at what you’d written – I am kicking myself.
excellent review niall
you have a way with words
one of the best shows ive been to in a long time n u sum it up perfectly.
excellent review niall
you have a way with words
one of the best shows ive been to in a long time n u sum it up perfectly.
” ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’- a truly awful book in 1981″
That’s one of my favourite ever books. Damn funny too.
Still feel that Arcade Fire are, as Eamon Dunphy might say, “A good band, but not a great band”
” ‘A Confederacy of Dunces’- a truly awful book in 1981″
That’s one of my favourite ever books. Damn funny too.
Still feel that Arcade Fire are, as Eamon Dunphy might say, “A good band, but not a great band”
A Confederacy of Dunces – love that phrase
Sinéad – you know that Broken Social Scene song? – “You weren’t there / You weren’t there” Actually come to think of it, It could actually be “You were there / You were there” but no matter. What do you think of Neon Bible – it took me a while to get into it (as did Funeral) but now I think it’s pretty special.
A Confederacy of Dunces – love that phrase
Sinéad – you know that Broken Social Scene song? – “You weren’t there / You weren’t there” Actually come to think of it, It could actually be “You were there / You were there” but no matter. What do you think of Neon Bible – it took me a while to get into it (as did Funeral) but now I think it’s pretty special.
Sorry, Niall, I wasn’t referring to the gig as I actually think they’re better live than ‘on CD’ after seeing them at the Electric Picnic. There’s something in their live performance that just doesn’t come across on their recorded work. Neon Bible’s alright. Bit like overdone Bruce Springsteen at times, but it’s alright. Maybe it’s a ridiculously slow burn grower, but then, I liked Funeral from the off…
Sorry, Niall, I wasn’t referring to the gig as I actually think they’re better live than ‘on CD’ after seeing them at the Electric Picnic. There’s something in their live performance that just doesn’t come across on their recorded work. Neon Bible’s alright. Bit like overdone Bruce Springsteen at times, but it’s alright. Maybe it’s a ridiculously slow burn grower, but then, I liked Funeral from the off…
I can confirm Monday night was better than Electric Picnic. 🙂
Neon Bible took 5/6 listens before it struck me
I can confirm Monday night was better than Electric Picnic. 🙂
Neon Bible took 5/6 listens before it struck me
good review niall. was there on tues night myself – amazing gig. looks like they shuffled the setlist around the second nite. have to to be one of the best live bands if not just simply the best band around at the mo’
good review niall. was there on tues night myself – amazing gig. looks like they shuffled the setlist around the second nite. have to to be one of the best live bands if not just simply the best band around at the mo’
That was a very good review of the arcade fire show, it did an excellent job of everything from the build up to the end, good stuff.
I saw a video of Wake Up on youtube, and it made the hiar on the back of my neck stand up, I can only imange how brillant it would have been present at the gig, hopefully the set list for the olympia gig is the same or simmlar for Oxegen.
That was a very good review of the arcade fire show, it did an excellent job of everything from the build up to the end, good stuff.
I saw a video of Wake Up on youtube, and it made the hiar on the back of my neck stand up, I can only imange how brillant it would have been present at the gig, hopefully the set list for the olympia gig is the same or simmlar for Oxegen.
Brilliant review niall
Oh God, would you send me a child? / ‘Cause I wanna put it up on the TV screen /so the world can see what your true word means.”
what a fucking lyric
Brilliant review niall
Oh God, would you send me a child? / ‘Cause I wanna put it up on the TV screen /so the world can see what your true word means.”
what a fucking lyric
Been on a solid Neon Bible diet for the past week or so and pretty sure I like it more than Funeral or the EP…almost…
But now that I know its named for a John Kennedy Toole book, Im sold! Confederacy of Dunces is one of the funniest/best books I’ve ever read…
And great review! Went hunting for some once I had calmed down after the over-stimulation of the Mon night gig and yours is the best I’ve found! Got some cool photos too but didn’t manage to get any videos 🙂 So thanks!
Been on a solid Neon Bible diet for the past week or so and pretty sure I like it more than Funeral or the EP…almost…
But now that I know its named for a John Kennedy Toole book, Im sold! Confederacy of Dunces is one of the funniest/best books I’ve ever read…
And great review! Went hunting for some once I had calmed down after the over-stimulation of the Mon night gig and yours is the best I’ve found! Got some cool photos too but didn’t manage to get any videos 🙂 So thanks!
Excelent, you really felt it – I felt it from here 😀
I am seeing them tuesday (july 3rd), and I hope something like that. Really, I am too excited for that.
Search youtube for “Arcade Fire Superbock” (Superbock Superrock is the name of the festival). You will enjoy it. Portuguese people know how to receive and I’m sure it will be something.
Thanks for the perfect sight 😉 *
Excelent, you really felt it – I felt it from here 😀
I am seeing them tuesday (july 3rd), and I hope something like that. Really, I am too excited for that.
Search youtube for “Arcade Fire Superbock” (Superbock Superrock is the name of the festival). You will enjoy it. Portuguese people know how to receive and I’m sure it will be something.
Thanks for the perfect sight 😉 *
Just saw this band on our Public Television station last night, “Live from Austin City Limits” and I’m a fan! I was researching who they were and was suspicious that they were from Ireland! Great eclectic sound, reminds me of the Talking Heads” and even perhaps “Beck”…I don’t get how or why several people think they sound like Springsteen though…? Maybe the B-52’s? I’m going to be getting a CD
of them and I’d like to know what’s the best first CD to get, or is there a Greatest hits available? They rock!
Just saw this band on our Public Television station last night, “Live from Austin City Limits” and I’m a fan! I was researching who they were and was suspicious that they were from Ireland! Great eclectic sound, reminds me of the Talking Heads” and even perhaps “Beck”…I don’t get how or why several people think they sound like Springsteen though…? Maybe the B-52’s? I’m going to be getting a CD
of them and I’d like to know what’s the best first CD to get, or is there a Greatest hits available? They rock!
What an awesome post! I love the Arcade Fire. I saw them in June 2007 at the Hurricane Festival in Germany. Ganz geil. You can view more Arcade Fire love here:
http://www.iggli.com/roller/stephanie/entry/the_arcade_fire_rorrimkcalb
Cheers and keep liking good music!
What an awesome post! I love the Arcade Fire. I saw them in June 2007 at the Hurricane Festival in Germany. Ganz geil. You can view more Arcade Fire love here:
http://www.iggli.com/roller/stephanie/entry/the_arcade_fire_rorrimkcalb
Cheers and keep liking good music!
Hey,
Just in case you checked out the site… it’s back up now!
Thanks!
http://www.iggli.com/roller/stephanie/entry/the_arcade_fire_rorrimkcalb
Hey,
Just in case you checked out the site… it’s back up now!
Thanks!
http://www.iggli.com/roller/stephanie/entry/the_arcade_fire_rorrimkcalb
Hey,
Just in case you checked out the site… it’s back up now!
Thanks!
http://www.iggli.com/roller/stephanie/entry/the_arcade_fire_rorrimkcalb