REVIEW: ARCADE FIRE AT CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL ARENA (09/12/10)
Just quite how the never-ending queue stretching across Cardiff managed to fit into what is effectively a giant tin box for what had the potential to be the gig of the year, I will never know; but they did and it made for a proper arena style gig. Many bands, such as support act Devendra Banhart, get lost on the massive CIA stage but Arcade Fire with their soaring sound and infectious energy were well up for the challenge of giving this often stale venue some character.
Lead singer, Win, compared it to a shopping mall when introducing wife Regine, who took lead vocals on Neighbourhood #2 (Laika). It took a few songs for the gig to get going but after launching (launching being the operative world with the drummers bouncing off each other, Regine strutting her stuff in a sparkly little number and Win doing a bit of an Ian Curtis) into Ready To Start and Keep The Car Running things really started to buzz.
The newest album, The Suburbs got a decent airing with the title track, We Used To Wait, Rococco and Month of May but it would’ve been good to hear the recent single Modern Man and City With No Children (perhaps I’m just being greedy). The highlights had to be the compelling and almost religious feeling of No Cars Go and the epic Rebellion (Lies). Arcade Fire are one of those bands who genuinely defy comparison to others, their fusion of anthemic indie and rocking rapture.
Sadly, Intervention, their best song in my opinion, lacked the punch it has on record and felt a bit like they were going through the motions rather than pushing the boundaries but it was a rare poor moment in an otherwise awesome gig. Perhaps not quite the gig of the year for Cardiff but definitely up there in the top 10.
Words and video: Laura Williams
Photo: By Rama from Wikipedia
