Review: Arcade Fire Defy Odds At The Shrine

“We will remember it even if you don’t,” said Arcade Fire lead singer Win Butler in front of a sold out crowd at The Shrine Auditorium.

One of the most hyped and sought after shows of the year turned out to be one of the most unpredictable; audio difficulties and a slow to warm-up L.A. crowd almost sabotaged an otherwise flawless performance. Through the struggles and the climaxes, The Shrine was “alive” last night.

Pulling up to the venue was nothing short of chaotic, as traffic on Jefferson piled into a seemingly endless line for parking, and those on foot herded into the 84-year-old auditorium. Inside, there was an elevated buzz circulating about the crowd. This wasn’t just any rock show, this was more like a page out of rock n’ roll history. Arcade Fire was redefining music, and in a city full with options, this was the place to be.

Shortly before 9:15, Win addressed the crowd asking the audience to stand for the entirety of the performance, a request that never seemed to be a problem. The first two songs were newbies, “Ready to Start” and “Month of May” were flawless. A perfect start until technical problems with the sound put a damper on things.

The tech crew was in for a long night, as there were constant issues with guitars and mics that continued well into the show. The crowd seemed to notice, and within the “ It's hard to tell if you like us or not...
” Win Butler first fifteen-minutes Butler took the mic and addressed the audience, “Alright L.A., I’m gonna level with you a little bit. You’re like a hot girl who you really like, but she’s kinda cold sometimes… So now it’s hard to tell if you like us or not.” Butler was openly calling L.A. out and breaking the ice, and for a moment, everything was right again.

Next was “No Cars Go” from Neon Bible, which was one of the few songs performed from the band’s 2006 release, with the majority of songs off 2004′s Funeral and 2010′s Suburbs.

Win’s wife and fellow band mate Regine Chassagne took over with “Sprawl II,” as Win walked through the audience, subjecting himself to a barrage of pictures and video by nearly everyone in the building. Another Suburbs delight “Modern Man” followed, but malfunctions with Win’s guitar forced the band’s first detour.  Clearly frustrated, albeit humored by the situation, Butler ditched the guitar for the piano, and comically praised his musical versatility before banging out the first keys from “The Suburbs.”

As techies continued to struggle with Win’s guitars, the show went on.  If it wasn’t for the versatility Butler stated earlier, perhaps the night would have led to a downward spiral into disaster.  Highlights from “Haiti” and “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” got everyone in the building singing, jumping, and clapping along with the infectious groove.  It was musical harmony at its best. Audience and band singing as one.  I won’t lie, I felt pretty lucky at that point.

Arcade Fire busted out single after single, and continued to laugh-off the sound troubles. With seven to nine musicians on stage at once, a spectacle of unparalleled musicianship unfolded on stage.  Members of the band constantly switched instruments, where many played anywhere from 3 to 5 instruments by the night’s end.

After Butler poked fun at a Laker’s preseason loss to Spanish club FC Barcelona, the room was painted red moving right into “Neighborhood #3 (Power Out).  The heaviest song of the night, with “Month of May” its only rival in that regard.  The transition into “Rebellion (Lies)” to close the set was breathtaking, ”Sleeping is giving in, no matter what time it is,” sang Butler and all the adoring fans in perfect unison.

At this point everyone wanted to more. Arcade Fire had us high off musical mastery, and we needed another hit before our appetite was satisfied.  As they exited the stage to prep for their encore, the entire crowd “Oooh’d” to the last few notes of “Rebellion,” lasting an impressive four or five minutes before the band took the stage again for “ You guys are f**king awesome... thank you for letting us be total amateur hacks.
” Win Butler the final two songs. “Keep the Car Running” sent everyone into a frenzy, and then Butler took the mic for one last time before performing their signature song so far in their young career.

“You guys are f**king awesome… thank you for letting us be total amateur hacks.  We will remember it even if you don’t.”  What followed was a scene that could only be found in religious sanctions as people flailed their arms in the air and belted out to the epic “Wake Up.”

By all accounts, Friday’s show went much smoother than Thursday. Still, Thursday night seemed unique from others for Arcade Fire.  Witnessing one the best bands in the world struggle through a set is not a sight most concertgoers get to experience, and I personally consider myself fortunate for being there.

Simply put, Thursday night’s combination of imperfection and mastery made it a night impossible to forget.

Photo Gallery: Arcade Fire At The Shrine…