Arcade Fire deliver the perfect show in London: live photos and review
Arcade Fire live at Earl's Court London June 7, 2014 Photo copyright www.rebelrebelmusic.com
Score: 9.5/10
Arcade Fire might have explored less rock musical paths with their latest (still good) album Reflektor, but on stage the Canadian band still delivers pure rock and roll vibes, hitting the audience with waves of energy that are impossible to ignore.
This saturday’s was Arcade Fire’s second London date in a row, following the friday gig when they were joined on stage by Echo & The Bunnymen’s Ian McCulloch. This time no guests joined the band on stage, but before the main show took off the entire venue was turned into a giant discotheque, featuring glitter balls, spotlights and music by 2ManyDJs. New Zealand pop sensation Lorde (whose music was allegedly described as “the sound of tomorrow” by David Bowie) followed the Belgian DJ duo before leaving the stage for Arcade Fire, who opened the show with Reflektor.
It comes as no surprise that they are famed as one of the greatest live bands and their London show at the Earl’s Court Centre was yet the umpteenth confirmation of their talent as musicians and showmen. Their performance was more than just a good rock show: the band’s overwhelming energy, the powerfulness of their sound and the interaction with an ecstatic public created Magic. The band performed for over 2 hours an intense, compact set list that, in addition to songs from Reflektor, included many tracks from what is universally considered their best album, Funeral plus great hits from The Suburbs and a couple of tunes from Neon Bible.
During the encore, they also played a playful cover of The Smith’s “London” with frontman Win Butler wearing a papier-mache mask of Queen Elizabeth.
The whole show sounded and looked like a feast of sound intended for the public and the musicians to enjoy together, offering astonishing lighting effects and stage design. All this apart, Arcade Fire still made sure that Music was the main ingredient of the perfect recipe for the perfect show. They are, indeed, the greatest live band of the last 20 years.
Make sure you don’t miss them playing their next London gig in Hyde Park on July 3.
Complete set list:
Reflektor
Flashbulb Eyes
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Rebellion (Lies)
Joan of Arc
Month of May
We Exist
The Suburbs
The Suburbs (Continued)
Ready to Start
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Intervention
(w/ ‘(Antichrist Television Blues)’ outro)
No Cars Go
Haïti
Afterlife
It’s Never Over (Oh Orpheus)
(Régine on B-stage)
Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)
(‘Damian Taylor Remix’ intro)
Encore:
Helter Skelter
(The Beatles song) (The Reflektors fake band on B Stage)
Normal Person
London (The Smiths cover)
Here Comes the Night Time
Wake Up
