The Arcade Fire on Ice

That sounds like a delightfully Canadian event, doesn't it? Alas, it didn't really happen. It was just a random comment from the band on Friday night because the stage at the Chicago Theatre is evidently very slippery.

I might be the last indie rock fan in the world who has never heard Funeral or Neon Bible, or seen the Arcade Fire give any sort of performance. I figured that a million rabid fans can't all be wrong, though, so when I heard the Arcade Fire would be playing a three-night stand in Chicago I was excited to get tickets. Then the ticket sale came and went, with me entirely forgetting about it until all three shows were sold out. Oops. Luckily I was saved by the incredibly generous offer of a face value ticket by Matt, a fellow local music fan. Thanks, Matt! I tried downloading a few songs from the albums to prepare myself for the show, but never really had the time to listen. So Friday night found me in a sweet box seat with a great view of the stage at the Chicago Theatre, waiting to see what all the fuss was about.

I wasn't let down. The Arcade Fire really is an incredible live band. (Of course, everybody else already knew that.) I did feel like I was slightly apart from the action on the floor, but I was very pleased that I could see everything that all ten (!) people were doing onstage at any given time. Regine's range of instrumental skills impressed me greatly, and I think I have a slight crush on Win. I really loved that he came out into the crowd during one of the songs, walking back and forth down the center aisle - and I also loved that the fans down there were cool about it. The show was longer than I expected it to be, with two encores, and included all manner of clapping and banging on shit with drumsticks and shouting into megaphones. If nothing else, I think this has finally given me the impetus to get some freaking Arcade Fire albums already.

"See you tomorrow," Win said with a grin before the second encore. Well, no, actually, some of us aren't so lucky. If they're like most bands playing multiple nights in the same city, the band will switch up their setlist somewhat for each show. That's traditionally one of my favorite things about seeing a multi-night stand. Ironically, in this case, it may have contributed to my only disappointment of the evening - they didn't play "Wake Up." "Wake Up" is the sole Arcade Fire song I actually know, and I love it. I guess my brain just decided, with impeccable logic, that if there's one song I know then of course I will hear that song. But not tonight. I guess that's what I get for only seeing one of these shows, huh?

(Unrelated anecdote - before the show I was walking around in The Department Store Formerly Known As Marshall Field's. I was on the fifth floor checking out dishes when a saleswoman asked if she could help me. I inquired about a china pattern on display. It was a German porcelain, the saleswoman told me - and then she asked if I would like to register for it. Ha! Well, sure I would.)