The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureMusicLive music

Arcade Fire at Wembley Arena

Arcade Fire at Wembley Arena | Live review
12 April 2018
Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Filippo L'Astorina
Avatar
Filippo L'Astorina
12 April 2018

Music review

Filippo L'Astorina

Arcade Fire at Wembley Arena

★★★★★

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Website

The first of three shows comprising the Everything Now tour in London is a night full of surprises. Nine months after their electrifying album launch at York Hall, Arcade Fire are taking a short residence in Wembley to promote their latest record.

The concert is the arena-sized evolution of what we saw in East London last year: the stage is transformed into a boxing ring – set in the middle of the venue – from which the American-Canadian band plays, turning to different sides song by song.

Win Butler, Régine Chassagne and co are presented like boxers in true sports broadcast fashion, with their titles and stats on display across the screens. The performance begins with lead single Everything Now – which is also by far the most convincing track from the eponymous album – and continues with the ensemble’s alt-rock hymn Rebellion (Lies).

The light show is nothing short of spectacular; parallel beams reproduce the ropes on a grander scale, conveying the illusion of an even bigger ring. On top of running around the stage, Butler and Chassagne would enter into the crowd to sing and dance together with their fans.

Half an hour into the concert, the Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde joins the band for a spicy and profound cover of Don’t Get Me Wrong. Arcade Fire express their praise for the English-American rockers, who have been a major source of inspiration for their music; they also pay tribute to the city of London which, by their own admission, is where they have played the most. It shouldn’t surprise, then, that they have three sold-out shows at Wembley Arena, and a packed audience singing out loud every lyric of every song.

The gig continues mixing new and older hits, including Ready to Start – which sets the North London venue on fire – Intervention, The Suburbs and Reflektor. The set ends on a high with a mighty rendition of Neighborhood #3 (Power Out). Of the newer material – which tends to be repetitive and not nearly as good as the band’s first three albums – Everything Now and We Don’t Deserve Love are the true highlights.

Wake Up, the group’s traditional closing number – played with the Nationals’ Bryce Dessner, Hynde and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band – concludes yet another brilliant performance from Arcade Fire.

★★★★★

Filippo L’Astorina
Photos: Ruth Medjber / Filippo L’Astorina

For further information and future events visit Arcade Fire’s website here.

Watch the mashup video Money + Love here:

Related Itemsfeaturedlive musicreview

More in Live music

Jungle at Alexandra Palace

★★★★★
Musanna Ahmed
Read More

FKJ at the Roundhouse

★★★★★
Jasper Watkins
Read More

Jeremy Loops and James Hersey at the Roundhouse

★★★★★
Daniel McLeod
Read More

Bastille at Brixton Academy

★★★★★
Jasper Watkins
Read More

Death Cab for Cutie at Hammersmith Apollo

★★★★★
The editorial unit
Read More

The Dandy Warhols at Brixton Academy

★★★★★
The editorial unit
Read More

Ed Harcourt, Tom Smith and She Drew the Gun play in beautiful and intimate Stand Up to Cancer concert at Union Chapel

The editorial unit
Read More

Matt Corby at the Forum

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Nathaniel Rateliff at Hammersmith Apollo

★★★★★
Marissa Khaos
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Music review

Filippo L'Astorina

Arcade Fire at Wembley Arena

★★★★★

Links

Twitter Facebook Instagram Website

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • The Aftermath premiere: On the red carpet with Keira Knightly, Alexander Skarsgård, director James Kent and cast
    Cinema
  • Jeremy Loops and James Hersey at the Roundhouse
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • STEVE O SMITH autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Richard Quinn autumn/winter 2019 collection catwalk show for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Silently Hoping
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • As a Man Grows Younger at Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Call Me Vicky at Pleasance Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Equus at Theatre Royal Stratford East
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Jungle at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Call Me Vicky at Pleasance Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Equus at Theatre Royal Stratford East
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Jungle at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • FKJ at the Roundhouse
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Win tickets to see Rip It Up The 60s in the West End
    Competitions

Instagram

Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Walk the Moon at the Forum | Live review
The Titan | Movie review