Arcade Fire at the Royal Albert Hall
For anyone who has been to one of Arcade Fire’s shows, their concerts are synonymous with an uplifting, almost celebratory atmosphere. Yes, there’s the familiar electricity of a rock gig, but always with an added sense of unity – a communal, cathartic gathering. This time, however, that feeling wasn’t entirely there.
Instead, the evening reflected the state of a broken act trying to put their pieces – musically and emotionally – back together, reaching out to their most loyal fans in what felt almost like a plea for forgiveness. The band, visibly more vulnerable, seemed to be putting their emotional pieces back together on stage.
Win Butler, lead singer and principal songwriter, has always enjoyed breaking the barrier between performer and audience, often stepping off the stage to connect with the crowd. This time, he did so more than ever – perhaps even a bit too insistently – spending a significant portion of the show either in the middle of the floor or roaming up and down the levels of the Hall. Yet, this wasn’t the tone from the outset.
The concert opened with a full performance of their latest album, Pink Elephant. Bathed in sombre lighting and enveloped in a constant layer of fog, Arcade Fire started with the instrumental Open Your Heart or Die Trying (did anyone else hear echoes of Blade Runner 2049 in there?) beneath a crystal heart suspended from the ceiling. Next came the title track – arguably the record’s highlight – driven by a raw guitar riff and heavily distorted bass line: it’s intense, sweet, sincere.
Then it was time for the lead single, Year of the Snake, featuring the trademark interplay of voices between Butler and his wife/co-singer Régine Chassagne. The band has always excelled at amplifying the quality and emotional intensity of their songs in a live setting, but this time the sound felt somewhat muffled – less immediate, more distant.
As often happens with new albums performed front-to-back, the songs sometimes blurred together. Expectations were high for the standout I Love Her Shadow, but its delicate balance between obsessive electronic bass and a beautiful, minimalist synth melody didn’t quite translate live. Still, there was one moment of genuine live alchemy: album closer Stuck in My Head grew in scale, power and meaning in the concert setting.
Pink Elephant is yet another proof that, even in the throes of personal or creative crisis, strong songwriting can still deliver moments of genuine high. The emotional rawness, even if not always fully realised sonically, lent the show an undercurrent of sincerity.
After an intermission, Arcade Fire returned for a second set – this time a selection of songs from earlier albums. But there was a conspicuous lack of focus on the tracks that once defined them: Tunnels, Laika, Rebellion (Lies), Ready to Start and We Used to Wait were all absent. So too were fan favourites like No Cars Go, Crown of Love and City with No Children.
Nevertheless, it was a solid set, particularly for those familiar with the band’s deeper cuts. Rarities like Neon Bible (on its tour debut) and Black Mirror were standouts – a selection seemingly crafted as much for the rockers themselves as for their most devoted, long-standing listeners.
This wasn’t the triumphant, all-embracing Arcade Fire of old. But, in its place, was something more vulnerable, more tentative and – at times – more exposed. While for some it might have come across like the performance of an act in the midst of repair, for their fans it was a chance to reconnect with their icons, unafraid to show their cracks.
Filippo L’Astorina, the Editor
Photos: Virginie Viche
For further information and future events visit Arcade Fire’s website here.
Watch the video for Year of the Snake here:
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