Arcade Fire @ The Roxy

From Believer magazine:

“The Arcade Fire consists of a group of startled young North American citizens who probably had little idea that Funeral, the album they created and assembled for Merge Records in 2004, would generate a storm front of such magnitude in the world of popular music. … I first saw the Arcade Fire in Cambridge at the front end of their tour, just before they began moving their shows to larger venues, but after word about Funeral had spread. They played on a stage that was approximately the size of a napkin, in a club that was exactly the size of a restaurant-style napkin holder. To say ‘the club was packed’ would do a grave injustice to the people who survived the event, each of whom is now more aware than ever of the full spectrum of scents it is possible for a human body to spurt from its pores when under duress. There was a palpable tension in the air, as though something dangerous or terrible was about to happen.”

Now that’s a concert review. And it goes on from there, including one of my favorite lines, “…but the woman was already staring straight ahead, balancing on tiptoe, straining for a glimpse of the band through the humid thicket of contemporary American haircuts.”

One thought on “Arcade Fire @ The Roxy”

  1. Ain’t the Believer great? I used to buy newstand copies when they first started. Don’t know why I quit. They’ve introduced me to Heidi Julavits, Dave Berman, Nicholson Baker, Interpol, and countless other joys.

    If only the subscription wasn’t so expensive (though for what you get it’s a steal).

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