Whether the Montreal scene went on to equal that of 1990's Seattle is debatable – in fact the “explosion” is still underway, and the full impact won't likely be known for years to come - but the importance of Arcade Fire to the Canadian Indie scene is indisputable.
Once dismissed as a novelty act of sorts - they had a fondness for performing in unusual outfits including crash helmets, and often took to marching through their audiences - music junkies soon figured out that Arcade Fire was in fact, the real thing.
An eclectic and unusually large line-up is headed by lead vocalist Win Butler and his wife, Régine Chassagne, (Canadian born with Haitian roots). Butler's brother, William, is a multi-instrumentalist (bass, guitars, synthesisers and percussion), and Tim Kingsbury plays bass and guitars. Richard Reed Parry (frequently compared to Napoleon Dynamite) plays guitars, bass, keyboards and accordion, while Sarah Neufeld plays violin and Jeremy Gara sits on drums. Several additional travelling musicians mean the bands on-stage presence is normally around ten, and the fact that so many play multiple instruments – well, you can imagine the potential for a chaotic stage performance!
Arcade Fire's 2004 debut CD, Funeral, was released with little fanfare. An album that combined the solemn (songs influenced by the deaths of several of the band's family members), with unusual instrumentation and pop masterpieces, like Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out), Funeral caught the critics off-guard. The oversight wouldn't last long, however, and propelled by a raucous live show and endorsements from celebrity fans including David Bowie, U2 and Talking Heads' David Byrne, the hype surrounding the band began to build.
The infamous music review website Pitchfork awarded Funeral a 9.7 rating, and it was ultimately named Album Of The Year for 2004 by the music press, garnering a host magazine covers, television appearances and awards for the band.
There was a tremendous amount of pressure on the band to equal Funeral's phenomenon with a follow-up release, even though there was little hope of matching the media hype that had accompanied Arcade Fire's “discovery” and the subsequent spotlight on the Montreal music scene.
Neon Bible was released in March, 2007, immediately holding down the number one position in the Canadian music charts and premiering at number two on the Billboard album chart. The Neon Bible tour continues this autumn throughout North America and Europe, so if you get the chance to see Arcade Fire, it's doubtful you'll regret it.
Besides being a phenomenal live act, you will witness the band that single-handedly kick started the Montreal Music scene. And who knows what famous performer might join them on stage?
To whet your appetite, here's another fine snippet of Arcade Fire concert footage, this time Rebellion (Lies) from the Coachella music festival.
Discography – Studio Albums
2004: Funeral (#33 UK)
2007: Neon Bible (#2 UK)
The Arcade Fire Album
Fans of Arcade Fire can rest assured that their favorite Canadian indie-rock band is not going anywhere. However there is news that several band members, as well as ex-band members, have various other musical projects under their belts. One spin-off is Team B, which spawned the hits “On My Mind,” “No Purchase Necessary” and “Mystery Man.” The other group that is attracting attention is Clues, which debuted at last year’s Pop Montreal festival. They also have a hit song called “Perfect Fit,” which has been attracting attention among Arcade Fire fans. Check out the ticket selection at http://www.stubhub.com.
The indie rock band from Canada is one of many musical groups to come out of the scenic country to the north of the United States. And so long as they keep playing the soulful and heartfelt tunes that they continue to write, we shall not complain.
Arcade Fire was founded in 2003 by husband and wife Win Butler and Regine Chassagne. Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Time Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld and Jeremy Gara are all also members of the band, and the group went on to record the album, Funeral, in 2004 and later in 2007, Neon Bible. Funeral is the more somber of the releases with the name of the album collectively thought of after the deaths of several of the bandmates relatives during the recording. Neon Bible has gained even more critical acclaim with the smash hits; “Intervention” and “Keep the Car Running.” With several hits and hot albums, The Arcade Fire tickets were becoming fast selling commodities in the music market.
With each band member contributing a musical instrument to every song, the live performances are enthralling, and the sound that emerges is one of diverse backgrounds and upbeat lyrics to match. The variety of sounds that occur throughout the performances are thanks to the guitar, drums, bass guitar, piano, violin, cello, double bass, keyboard, French horn, harp and mandolin. Talented? There is no doubt.
It is perhaps a growing occurrence that the emerging bands of today are more original, unique and filled with lyrics that actually epitomize the lives and thoughts of the everyday populace rather than just the glitz and glamour that is associated with Hollywood pop stars. It is refreshing to see this change, and it is even more encouraging to see the throngs of fans that flock to these hip young concerts. The boys and girls who practiced in the neighborhood garage and held late night jam sessions are proving to be the new role models of today, and the world couldn’t be more proud.
Arcade Fire has released two hit albums; they have been well received in North America and in Europe. They play at venues of all capacities and are constantly besting themselves with each new live performance. Their music is on the radio and in Ipods across the country, and now its time for you to tune in. Even if you missed their most recent tour, you can surely catch them the next time that they appear on the road, try http://www.stubhub.com/the-arcade-fire-tickets/.
Both Bret Robson & Alexa Evans are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Bret Robson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Entertainment Guide, Heart Conditions and Entertainment Guide. This article was written by Bret Robson for Viagogo.co.uk, a leading European ticket hub. Viagogo connects buyers and sellers of tickets,. Bret Robson's top article generates over 40500 views. Bookmark Bret Robson to your Favourites.
