Spoon, Arcade Fire (08.06.10)

the Band: Spoon, Arcade Fire
the Date: Friday August 6, 2010
the Venue: Merriweather Post Pavilion (Columbia, MD)

(Photo credit to Kyle Gustafson)

Spoon opened. Now bear in mind, these guys are no mere opening act. The Austin band, composed of Britt Daniels (vocals/guitar), Jim Eno (drums), Rob Pope (bass), and Eric Harvey (keyboard/guitar/percussion), played a full hour-long set of tunes pulled from the band’s expansive career including their most recent release, Transference.  Spoon has always been one of those bands that can back up great albums with a great live show. Britt and the boys did not disappoint. Even though it was still light out these guys absolutely rocked. Some of my favorites were Don’t You Evah, I Turn My Camera On, Don’t Make Me a Target, and You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb. What an amazing start to the night. We love Spoon.

(Photo credit to Kyle Gustafson)

Arcade Fire was the main event … and the main event was spectacular! The band, based in Montreal, is fronted by the husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. Other members include Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld, and Jeremy Gara. One of the amazing things about Arcade Fire is that they all switch instrumental duties throughout their shows almost giving an illusion of chaos. As my wife likes to describe them, they are the Cirque du Soleil of indie rock.

They were touring in support of their new album just released a few days prior, The Suburbs. Some of the kinks still needed to be worked out with the new songs because the band had to abandon Half Light II (No Celebration) just after the first verse because of a drum machine malfunction. Oops.

Over the course of 95 minutes, Arcade Fire played a great mix of material from all four of their albums. Soaring, emotional, frenzied, and thoroughly enjoyable.  Arcade Fire puts so much energy into their performance. It was an awesome show!

One funny moment towards the end of the night, someone had tossed a bra onto the stage ... Régine left her post, walked to the front of the stage, picked up the bra, and flung it back to the owner saying "This isn't 1987 and we're not Poison!"  My wife loved it!

(Photo credit to Kyle Gustafson)

Though I thoroughly enjoyed the new songs, my favorites of the evening leaned toward the older tunes like Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels), Neighborhood #2 (Laika), No Cars Go, Haiti (we just love Régine and seeing her waive her impovershed and earthquake-stricken country's flag was very moving), Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), Rebellion (Lies), Keep the Car Running, and of course, Wake Up. I have to say that singing Wake Up at the very end of the night alongside thousands of fans at Merriweather was truly a magical moment.

Full setlist for Spoon: The Mystery Zone (acoustic) / Nobody Gets Me But You / Rhythm and Soul / Don’t You Evah / Written in Reverse / Got Nuffin / The Ghost of You Lingers / Modern World (Wolf Parade cover) / I Turn My Camera On / Trouble Comes Running / I Summon You / Don’t Make Me a Target / The Underdog / You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb / Black Like Me

Full setlist for Arcade Fire: Ready to Start / Month of May / Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) / The Well and the Lighthouse / Half Light II (No Celebration) [only the first verse played due to drum machine failure] / Neighborhood #2 (Laika) / No Cars Go / Haiti / Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) / The Suburbs/The Suburbs (Continued) / Modern Man / Rococo / Intervention / We Used to Wait / Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) / Rebellion (Lies) / ENCORE / Keep the Car Running / Wake Up


children wake up
hold your mistake up
before they turn the summer into dust …

 

White Rabbits, the Walkmen, Spoon (04.11.08)

the Band: White Rabbits, the Walkmen, & Spoon
the Date: Fri April 11, 2008
the Venue: Sonar (Baltimore)

(Photo credit to Robyn Lee and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/roboppy/?search=roboppy)

White Rabbits was the opening band. Unfortunately, we were a little late to the club and missed some of their set. The part that we did catch was fully entertaining. As I understand things, this sextet is relatively new to the indie scene (please don't ask me to describe what that scene is ... I don't know). We really liked what we saw and were bummed that we missed some of their show. Keep it up boys and visit us again soon.

(Photo credit to Gretchen Robinette and her Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/gretchenrobinette/?search=gretchen+robinette)

The Walkmen was the band I was really interested in seeing. I've been following these guys since before they were the Walkmen (yeah, I'm talking about Jonathan Fire*Eater and the Recoys). Did you know they all grew up in DC? Suffice it to say, I'm a HUGE fan. Last night, these guys did not disappoint. It was an amazing set including the Rat, Another One Goes By, All Hands and the Cook, ... and even Wake Up! There were a ton of new songs as well including (sorry if I got the names wrong) I Lost You, Canadian Girls and Donde Esta La Playa? This may have been the strongest Walkmen show I've ever seen. The whole group was SPOT ON and Hamilton Leithauser belted and crooned his way through the entire show. It's been a full two years since their third album, A Hundred Miles Off, was released and I simply cannot wait until their next release (out this summer maybe) ... more music ... more shows ... more, more, more!

(Photo credit to Ryan Dombal and his Flickr page: http://www.flickr.com/people/ryandombal/?search=ryandombal)

As if we didn't get enough, Spoon ended the night with a superb performance. Much of their set concentrated on tunes from their 2007 album, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. My personal favorites included Don't Make Me A Target, Don't You Evah, You Got Yr Cherry Bomb, I Turn My Camera On, the Underdog, Small Stakes, and The Beast And Dragon Adored (just to name a few) but it seemed to be that every tune they played was a fan-favorite. The crowd absolutely loved these guys. Britt Daniels and the other Austin boys returned the favor by playing not one, but two encores.

If you haven't figured it out by now, the night was a complete success. With White Rabbits, the Walkmen and Spoon on the bill, how could it be anything less?

And when you believe they call it Rock and Roll ...