Photo: WENN
"People from art school, playing in a fake band," struts Win Butler in a semi-rap introduction to 'Normal Person', "people from art school pretending to play guitar - people from art school, pretending that playing guitar is art."
Adopting a new moniker and persona, Arcade Fire stand before us tonight as The Reflektors - a semi-concept band dogged by the pretense that has always plagued the band since they first came to our attention almost a decade ago. But there's no pretense here - just a bloody good time.
The queue to get into the Roundhouse in Camden was sprawling down the street and round the corner hours before doors even opened, and made for quite a sensational sight as the vast majority of the audience met the dress code of 'formal attire or fancy dress'. Tuxedos, animal masks, cocktail dresses, you name it - for a damp Monday night, that takes some dedication. Even at Bestival, there's a high ratio of fans who ever don't get the memo or just can't be arsed to make the effort. But Arcade Fire attract a certain type of fan. "To anyone who felt uncomfortable dressing up – I'm not sorry," smiles Butler.
Nor should he be - for this isn't 'just' a gig, it's an EVENT. Members of staff were also on hand to decorate the crowd with face paint, while others simply strolled around in Arcade Fire's oversized Reflektor heads. It was brilliant. To add to the sense of occasion, the band decked out the Roundhouse in glitter curtains and mirrorballs, giving the whole venue a Studio 54 kind of vibe. Not only that, but the band had a Mariachi band playing rock classics on the door to greet gig-goers.
From the bespoke setting and atmosphere, to the freaks in the crowd and the fervour in the air - Arcade Fire control every aspect of tonight's experience. The Reflektors are not just a concept of dance-rock band, they're like a whole new religion - and we're the wide-eyed cult followers.
Watch the band play 'Reflektor' at The Roundhouse below
Opening with the epic dance Odyssey of 'Reflektor', the tension that awaited this intimate spectacle bursts into sheer celebration. Kicking straight into the Funeral favourite 'Neighbourhood #3' next, the ectasy in the air screams the realisation that Arcade Fire are now a band with a vast cannon of classics.
While their latest studio effort split opinion, its translation onto the stage makes way more sense. James Murphy's dance-rock flourishes on 'Joan Of Arc' and 'Here Comes The Night Time' bloom into a whole new energy, while still sitting comfortably alongside the synth-folk march of 'Sprawl II' and piano lament of 'Crown Of Love'.
Arcade Fire are often compared to the likes of Talking Heads, which is unfair - but understandable. Win Butler and co are a band that draw upon a vast pallette to make music that never feels anything less than essential. If goin the extra mile to create a whole other culture with your music is pretentious, then yeah - they're massively bloody pretentious. But whatever. They're not 'the Talking Heads of our time', they're the one and only Arcade Fire. They're that once in a generation flash in the dark. Here they stand: People from art school, playing in a fake band, making music that matters.
Arcade Fire played:
Reflektor
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Flashbulb Eyes
Joan of Arc
You Already Know
We Exist
It's Never Over (Oh Orpheus)
Afterlife (started with an acapella version of My Body Is A Cage as the intro)
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
Normal Person
Uncontrollable Urge (DEVO cover)
Here Comes The Night Time
Encore:
Crown of Love
Haïti
Arcade Fire continue their tour are The Reflektors with a second sold-out show at The Roundhouse tonight, before going on to play shows in Glasgow and Blackpool. Full tour dates are as follows:
Tue November 12th 2013 - LONDON Roundhouse
Fri November 15th 2013 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Sat November 16th 2013 - GLASGOW Barrowland
Wed November 27th 2013 - BLACKPOOL Empress Ballroom
Tickets to all dates are on sale now. For more information visit Gigwise gig tickets.
Below: Photos of Arcade Fire bringing Reflektor to The Roundhouse
