Arcade Fire @ Earls Court, London

Being earnest is a tricky proposition. It's all very well raging against the world but as Win Butler sang
on 2010's Grammy award winning 'The Suburbs':
"When you're hiding underground, the rain can't get you wet. But do you think your righteousness
can pay the interest on your debt?"
With the release of new double album 'Reflektor" it seems as if the band have heeded this advice. A
much publicised decamp to Haiti, where they immersed themselves in the rhythm & voodoo infused
carnival lifestyle and with the help of James Murphy of LCD Soundsystem fame on production duties,
they have reinvented themselves as a party band - albeit one preoccupied with doom laden lyrics
about 21st century isolation, identity and paranoia. On paper it shouldn't work but a shower of
glowing reviews for the album proves otherwise.
And so to the first night of two at the Earls Court exhibition centre in London - a strange choice of
venue, perhaps explained by Win's comment during the gig that "We wanted to do Earls Court
before they tear it down for condos. Get your bids in now. Hope they're cheap." It also gives them a
chance to gear up for their headline appearances at Glastonbury and Hyde parks British
Summertime festival in a few weeks.
On arrival I was immediately greeted by a strange mixture of young and old, dressed up in a variety
of outfits - from head-to-toe mirror suits, DayGlo blazers and masquerade ball attire, to general
fancy dress. The audience had clearly indulged the bands request to dress up and meet them "half
way" to make an event of the evening.
From within the main hall we were directed towards a smaller circular enclosure, which once inside
immediately felt more intimate and theatre-like. It was adorned by giant glitter balls and spotlights
which helped to create a Studio 54 disco vibe. Frontman Win has discussed at length the bands
desire to make the shows more intimate which is amplified by the use of a retractable ceiling
making the very large venue feel more like a nightclub.
Proceedings got underway with a DJ set by Pulp's Steve Mackey while the crowd slowly filtered in via
the multiple entrances. This was followed up by a solid support set by Arcade Fire collaborator and
multi-instrumentalist Owen Pallett - which provided the amuse bouche before the main event. After
a delay of nearly 30 minutes the six core members of the band, plus additional touring members
arrived on stage. For this tour the already swollen ranks of the band have been expanded further by
the addition of renowned Haitian percussionists RAM - a clever move as it further accentuates the
bands move towards rhythmically dynamic material.
Dressed in a variety of neon splashed black and white suits, silver dresses and liberal amounts of
sequins, the band looked like characters from a post-apocalyptic episode of Miami Vice, ready for a
party at the end of the world. After a brief introduction the set got underway with the disco instilled
'Reflektor' which swiftly segued into the dub bass and steel drums of Flashbulb Eyes. Win and the
rest of his cohorts danced and shaked their way across the stage, while the huge hexagonal screens
which surrounded them pumped out a variety of close-ups and Technicolor visual motifs.
Fan favourites 'Power Out' and 'Rebellion (Lies)' from debut album 'Funeral' got early airings, as did a
selection of tracks from the Springsteen inspired third album 'The Suburbs'. In fact it was these
earlier tracks which perhaps received the most rapturous receptions of the night, eliciting mass
football like sing-alongs and much waving of arms. These older songs were given a fresh lease of life
by the bands renewed focus on rhythm and filled the large venue with ease.
They proceeded to sprinkle a mixture of new tracks from 'Reflektor' amongst these older tracks,
which ensured the carnival flavour continued throughout the set. 'Joan of Arc' and recent single 'We
Exist' got the crowd in the mood for some serious dancing with their pulsating grooves and outsider
lyrics. By now the crowd was clearly lapping up the electric atmosphere and determined to have a
good time on a warm Friday night, despite the muddy and at times echoic sound coming from the
speakers.
The oddest moment of the night came when Ian McCulloch of seminal 80's alt-rock band Echo and
the Bunnymen, swaggered onto stage for a rendition of 'The Cutter'. Most of the audience seemed
nonplussed by the guest appearance which wasn't helped by the weak vocals coming from his mic.
After this short diversion the band got back to business and the crowd were happily jostling about
again to the likes of 'Laika', 'No Cars Go' and 'Haiti', before Regine Chassagne merrily shimmied and
twirled her way through singing 'Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)'.
After a brief interlude which saw mariachi band The Bobbleheads playing a cover version of
'Bittersweet Symphony,' while wearing giant papier-mch heads made up to resemble the band;
Win and co returned to an ecstatic reception and immediately tore through the infectious groove of
'Here Comes the Night Time' and the rebel rousing 'Normal Person' in quick succession. Set closer
'Wake Up' was perfectly pitched to leave the crowd in rapturous jubilation - a shower of confetti
from the ceiling only heightened the sense of occasion, before the band left the stage for the final
time. After a two hour set the exhausted but elated audience slowly shuffled and spilled onto the
streets outside, all the while engaged in a mass sing-along of the ethereal refrain from 'Wake Up'.
Arcade Fire have always been a band with massive songs and with their latest album and globe-
trotting tour, they have finally fulfilled their early promise and stepped up to that often derided
thing - the arena rock band. However unlike Messrs Bono and Martin, Win and the gang have
managed to avoid disappearing up their own backsides by staying true to themselves. As earnest as
they have been in the past they have finally injected a new dimension to their well-honed sound -
the fun factor.
Words Cieran Brown