Arcade Fire – Live, Glasgow SECC, Friday 26th October 2007
I tell you what, any band that can defeat this utter shitbox of a venue and show you a fucking good time anyway must be bloody good because, as crappy industrial warehouses guaranteed to swallow even the largest of sounds go, the SECC is one of the worst. It didn’t help that I had only been able to get tickets in the seating area way off to one side of the stage, but ultimately it was like watching them play through bloody binoculars.
This all meant that the gig started very slowly for us indeed, with songs like Black Mirror and No Cars Go failing to bridge the considerable gap, and the clumsiness of the sound engineering not being sufficient to make the music that enjoyable a listen either. I don’t know how or when it changed, but eventually it did. The Arcade Fire play with a manic energy and I get the impression that if I’d been up front near the stage I’d have been completely blown away. As it was, the music just got bigger and bigger – bolder and more anthemic – and by the end we were all on our feet and dancing, even in the cheap seats.
The technical production also adjusted very quickly to their sound, and by halfway through all the subtler violin flourishes were coming through perfectly, even against the clattering background of the rest of the band. Win Butler, a little like Colin Meloy of The Decemberists, seems to be warming to the role of strutting indie frontman. ‘Ego issues’ was Mrs. Toad’s verdict, but I thought he did superbly. You want a bit of peacockery in your front men, especially in a venue this size. It fits the music too, which is quite grand in both sound and scope: themes as big as theirs benefit from the rather fervent delivery if you ask me.
In the end I was so very nearly robbed of a great gig by crap seats. If you’re going to the SECC make sure you get standing tickets and get down the front. It took them most of the gig to draw me in entirely, but they bloody did it, bless ‘em. By the end of the show I was ecstatically wobbling my head about in as decent an approximation of actual dancing as I can manage, and just letting the power and bombast of Rebellion, Intervention and Wake Up course through me. Stupendous – I just wish I’d been bloody closer!
Arcade Fire – Rebellion (Lies)
Arcade Fire – Intervention
Arcade Fire – WakeUp
And yes, before you ask, they were still far, far too white. Sheesh.
That very much sums up my experience. Mind you are there any venues that size that aren’t shite?
I fear not. If it’s any consolation, when I still lived in england, I went to Wembley Arena three times (Pulp, Cure, Smashing Pumpkins) and that was even worse. It would be nice if bands would take the time to play smaller shows, maybe that’s the downside of getting big. I remember seeing Franz Ferdinand in tiny places, and noty even being able to get tickets for the bigger ones.
I’ve only seen Dylan at Wembley, and that wasn’t bad. Maybe because I was slightly in awe of seeing Bob Dylan of course.
Thing is, if touring is supposed to prop up the lost income from album sales then you can’t blame them for playing the bigger places if they can, but apparently that fact has led to groups being pushed into bigger venues than they can really handle or fill, which can seriously damage their, erm, aura, for want of a better word.
No such problem with these lads, but I’m never going back to the seats at the SECC again.
have you read what shane had up on friday? pretty freaking funny, especially after you read the actual article it’s based on. (i’d put a link in but i can’t seem to figure out how to do it.)
Shane’s article here, based on this in the Guardian.
Shane’s article is pretty funny, but I have a degree of sympathy for them. If you aren’t a natural celebrity it must be pretty grinding trying to not be a superstar in a band that popular.
Utter agreement from myself. After being horribly disappointed at seeing Arcade Fire last night at Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena I think I’ll be reconsidering any arena gigs and so should Arcade Fire.
They were so great too. Shame I didn’t feel it.
Nice review, Matthew, puts my weak effort to shame! I’ve added your site to our links section.
well sure. i mean, here they are, writing these great songs, performing their hearts out, connecting with their fans in a really intimate way, and then all of a sudden they’re in bigger venues with people there only because they’ve heard the band is cool, not because they love them, and they have to do all the publicity-related crappola that’s demanded of them. i can see what a drag it would be. but how do you prevent it from happening? how can you stop the media from writing about you and people loving you and wanting to see you? our whole culture is built on creating that phenomenon. unfortunately, success=loss of self, in the sense of losing the ability to do what you want to do when/how/if you want to. *sigh*
Like you say, you can’t stop it. Most of the people there seemed pretty into it, so I don’t know if they attracted an above average number of hangers on, it’s just that anything this popular seems to become a juggernaut that can kind of get away from you. Bono embraces it (ugh) but this lot seem to find it a bit intrusive. I have plenty of sympathy for them.
have you heard the recording of arcade fire at nottingham arena on 31/10? someone throws something on stage and win has a bit of a hissy fit.
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You think your venues a shit hole, its got nothing on the M.E.N arena in Manchester, what a corporate cocksucker of a venue that is, the arcade fire were great, shame about the venue, and the number of twat’s who who turned up who would appear to go to one gig a year and treat is an excuse to be royal pain in the arse, the fact i enjoyed the gig despite these factors is nothing short of miraculous.