Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and Wild Light, Hollywood Bowl, 9/20
by Randall Roberts
September 21, 2007 11:43 AM
Arcade Fire, LCD Soundsystem and Wild Light
Hollywood Bowl, September 20.
By Randall Roberts
There was a moment about three-quarters of the way through Arcade Fire’s victorious show at the Hollywood Bowl last night – I think it was during “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” -- when lead singer Win Butler broke into an awestruck smile. He was looking out into the crowd, this mass of bouncing devotees who knew all the words to all their songs. It wasn’t a huge, toothy smile. Just a little grin of wonder, as though he’d just been whispered some particularly good news, or read a brilliant passage in a novel. I have a general idea of what he was thinking: “Whoa. Oh my god. Whoa.”
Raving about a live Arcade Fire show at this point is like writing about how cute kittens are. We know, we know. It’s like, how many superlatives can you pile on top of one another before the whole thing collapses? So let’s leave it at this. You know that feeling you get when a magical combination of notes transforms into a melody, travels into your ears, hits the sweet spot of your eardrums, passes into your brain and has a massive orgasm in your head? When everything – work sucks, I’m broke, I’m lonely, did I remember to feed the cats?, I think I have to go pee, maybe they need a cellist – vanishes and the music becomes you?
(Photos by Timothy Norris)
Those moments, even under the best of circumstances, usually last a few seconds before epiphany gives way to brainchatter and you’re back on planet Earth. Well, last night was tantric. At one point I stopped, looked up at the sky, and felt totally at one with the universe. A plane was passing overhead. It moved through a thin veil of clouds, disappeared, then reappeared. On another night, or at a different moment, big frickin’ deal. Last night, a plane moving gracefully through the sky was as beautiful as a haiku, seemed designed for the moment. It was an odd, otherworldly sensation, like I was, in Butler's words, “between the click of the light and the start of the dream.” Whoa. Oh my god. Whoa.
Where does music come from? Why does it come, and to what end? How can one band touch heaven while a million others can barely touch their toes? Ah, sweet mystery. If you were there, chances are you get it. If you weren’t, or have never seen them, forget it, you wouldn’t understand. But I’ll say this: if you’re a jazz fan, imagine witnessing firsthand a John Coltrane solo. A classical nut: you’re in Rachmaninoff’s living room while he’s at the piano. You’re driving Hank Williams around while in the back seat he’s working out the lyrics to “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” Dylan in the basement with the Band. James Brown rehearsing cues with the Famous Flames. Patti Smith at CBGB. The Clash at the Bond.
The Arcade Fire at the Hollywood Bowl.
Hyperbole? Perhaps. But you know what? Kittens are adorable no matter how often you say it. And the Arcade Fire ruled the universe last night. Whoa. Oh my god. Whoa.
(Oh yeah, and LCD Soundsystem opened. They were excellent. On any other night with any other band, they’d have stolen the show. But last night wasn’t any other night. And we missed Wild Light, but wouldn't wish the first slot on that double bill on our worst enemy.)
LCD Soundsystem
All photos by Timothy Norris.
Review by Randall Roberts.
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Comments
There are 2 comments posted for this article.
Dear Sir and Madam,
I am so sorry that a giggling, smiling four year old and myself were blocking your view while you ate your dinner and drank wine in your boxed seat at the Hollywood Bowl last night. I thought that when my girlfriend bought me tickets for my birthday and we drove with her daughter from San Diego that the price included my right to stand and/or dance in said purchased space. It was also my understanding that LCD Soundsystem's music encourages movement, possibly even inspiring people to rise out of their chair. It was unfair of me to think that you might not be a huge LCD fan just because you looked like you were in your late 50's and would be content to simply watch two huge video screens which we weren't blocking. I hope you didn't think less of us when I denied your request to stop dancing with references to the 1984 film Footloose. I thought that the band you paid to see would maybe want as many people to dance as possible but since you hissed at how incosiderate we were in between songs, you obviously felt that your right to relax at a rock show was more important. You had every right to get a security guard to ask us to sit down. I'm sorry that it didn't work. I hope you enjoyed the show anyways, especially when 17,000 people all stood up to block your view of the Arcade Fire.
Sincerely,
Adam Gimbel
Posted on September 21, 2007 2:46 PM by adam
i totally agree with your review...the show fed my soul
Posted on September 22, 2007 3:42 PM by carolyn