Arcade Fire - London Brixton Academy - 15/3/07
5/5
By: Keri Kennedy
Are the Arcade Fire the best band in the world?
It's a question that has been posed many a time in the weeks surrounding the release of second LP, 'Neon Bible'. They've given plenty of opportunity for people to speculate as to the answer, playing to the best part of twenty thousand fans over four nights in London alone - four nights of gigs on a far grander scale than the 'church' performances earlier this year.
Entering to a video of a ranting female evangelist, the stage illuminated in scarlet with an enormous church organ sitting to one side, the buzz and excitement of the crowd erupts with the first few bars of 'Keep The Car Running'. Suffering from waves of unwanted feedback, Win seems to struggle slightly through the high points of 'Black Mirror', though the help of Regine on vocals for the anthemic 'No Cars Go' works its magic and they escalate into a wall of sound that the Arcade Fire know only too well how to create. Sticking with Regine on vocal duty, drifting through 'Haiti' and into 'Black Wave / Bad Vibrations', with its with haunting backing vocals it, like most of the new songs, builds slowly to an electrifying climax.
Win introduces 'Neighbourhood #1 (Tunnels)' with the admittance that he very nearly had to pull the gig due to a 'sinus infection that needs surgery' and asks for help with the lyrics; 'I know you can sing along'. It's an emotional track, with Regine singing whilst drumming and the crowd effortlessly helping Win along.
'Ocean Of Noise' transforms from its sombre beginning to an uplifting horn and piano infused resolution which itself becomes a thunderous intro to 'Rebellion (Lies)'. They've hit the high point, and the feeling of being part of a kind of cult of Arcade Fire is hard to shake off. Win's brother Will charges around smashing his marching drum and the crowd howl the refrain for a good minute after they've finished, preventing the start of 'Intervention'. Regine takes to the church organ, notably only used just this once. Win exposes his true Springsteen vocal, proclaiming like a gothic evangelist; "Working For the church while my family dies / Your little baby sister's gonna lose her mind", backed with a joyous string and vocal harmony.
The first encore of 'Wake Up' brings the house down, the crowd doing a fine job of drowning out the band with a football-chant singalong. The euphoric atmosphere shows no signs of abating as they return to the stage for a surprising rendition of 'Neon Bible'. As Win whispers the lyrics, band members tear up magazines. A strange, abrupt end, especially after the high of 'Wake Up'. As they walk off there's a few boos from a hyped up audience expecting more, alas there's none to be had.
For a band who weren't on top form, with a sound system that wasn't always on their side, Arcade Fire managed to pull off a life-affirming show that very few of their peers are capable of. Best band in the world? They're almost there.
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