The following article was submitted by David Perry:
A lot of people are starting to call Arcade Fire the new Bruce Springsteen. I’m not sure I believe that yet, but if that comparison is to stand, then they better be amazing live. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band are renowned for their skill, passion and endurance on stage, playing packed stadiums for 3-4 hours a night. I can attest to their skill and passion, as I grew up listening to my parents’ Live/1975-85 CD box set all the time. So if Arcade Fire is going to attempt to match or trump Springsteen’s rock god legacy, they better bring both their technical chops and their passion.
Before we get way too far away ahead of ourselves, let’s talk about the best opening act I’ve ever had to privelege to see: Spoon. Honestly, five years ago I would have called you crazy if you said Spoon would be opening for Arcade Fire. The fact that they’re now opening for Arcade Fire speaks less about the failures of Spoon than it does the successes of Arcade Fire. Spoon has done a lot to keep themselves relevant with their last two albums, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga and Transference. Their cool/detached style and penchant for grooves complement the impassioned anthems of Arcade Fire well.
I rode with my friends Abdul and Charlotte up to the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland. We got there just in time to snag a nice seat on the lawn about five minutes before Spoon got on stage. They filled a great setlist with some of their best songs.
Unfortunately for Spoon fans whose knowledge of their music extends further than their most recent albums, they didn’t see to play anything earlier than “Gimme Fiction”. The brass section they brought with them messed up a couple of times, especially on one of Spoon’s best known songs “The Underdog”, where they failed to recover from a shaky start and didn’t get into the natural swing of the song, which was terribly disappointing. The horns partially redeemed themselves on “You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb”, and Spoon dominated with “I Summon You”, “I Turn My Camera On”, and “Don’t Make Me a Target” to close out a brilliant set that lasted a good hour or so. With the notable exception of “that guy” who always shows up in tie dye and birkenstocks and dances his ass off all night, the crowd was subdued at best. You could tell they were there for the main event, and as a result, Spoon got shafted a little bit in terms of love from the crowd. Still, they showed their immense talent and energy you’d expect from a tour veteran like Spoon.
After an amazingly short intermission, Arcade Fire took the stage for their set. They opened with “Ready to Start”, which was an energetic and powerful opener. They played through “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” without any hitchs, but when they went to play “Half Light II”, the drum machine they were using was way out of time, and they had to stop right in the middle of the song. Win Butler had a laugh at Arcade Fire’s expense, saying, “We’re trying to incorporate new sounds into our music, but it’s hard to do when your drum machine keeps fucking up,” and “We’re Arcade Fire, a very professional band from Montreal.”
They played a pretty even mix of Neon Bible, Funeral and The Suburbs. Highlights of the set included “Rococo”, which had a real bitterness that is lost in the studio version, “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)”, which extended the riffing at the end to great effect, and “Haiti”, during which Regine Chassagne danced around and sang with a Haitian flag in the most emotionally stirring song of the night.
Some songs disappointed; “The Suburbs” lacked the same feeling that it has on the album, and my favorite song from Neon Bible, “The Well and the Lighthouse”, was underwhelming. It seemed as it they attempted to make it sound anthemic, a recurring theme for the softer songs throughout the night. Ultimately, the two encores, “Keep the Car Running” and “Wake Up”, were sufficiently outstanding, rousing the crowd for an epic finale. “Wake Up” especially seemed to do just that for a crowd that had seemingly dosed off at several points in the night.
But despite the bummer crowd and the technical difficulties, the gorgeous weather and great seating were enough to offset any discontent. Spoon was consistently great, and Arcade Fire showed flashes of brilliance that will be refined in time. I think some of the lackluster performances can be written off as fatigue related, considering the fact that they played 5 shows in a week. As for Bruce Springsteen comparisons, they should be shelved until the Arcade Fire improves the consistency of their show.
