You beat us. While we were anticipating an evening of unease, due to sexual misconduct allegations skewing singer Win Butler, Arcade Fire delivered a horrifically effective concert that drew warm applause from the crowd of 10,500. As if nothing had ever happened.
• Also read: Win Butler faces sexual misconduct allegations: Arcade Fire is boycotted by his Montreal admirers
• Also read: Allegations against Win Butler: Arcade Fire return to Montreal amid controversy
We went to the Bell Center that Saturday night in December, kind of like having dinner with an ex: half backwards. The last few months have been very difficult, to say the least, in terms of news from the Montreal group.
Since the end of August, with the publication of the American media Pitchfork about Win Butler’s actions, almost everything said about Arcade Fire has been negative. Barely three days after the article appeared, the musicians began their world tour, performing to often sparse audiences without addressing the controversy in any way.
The group, once metropolitan darlings, now “unloved”, to see how would it be on Saturday? Pretty good, we have to admit.
Back to the past
Although the stands were less crowded than they could have been – 14,400 spectators in 2017 – the thousands in attendance had evidently ignored the past few months to enjoy the concert to the fullest.
After a very inspired set by DJ Cosmo Gonik, the eight members of Arcade Fire appeared at the other end of the rink. They walked through the crowd. Win Butler smiled brightly and gave high fives to everyone who got in his way. We jumped a little when we saw this carousel.
They settled on the small central stage and played the opening notes of Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). We instantly found ourselves in 2005 when Arcade Fire exploded onto the Montreal indie scene. “The cursed one,” we said to each other. they had us
Still alive
The group then made their way to the main stage. Arcade played Fire Age of Anxiety in front of a huge crescent-shaped screen that showed first stars and then a giant eye. But it really all started with Ready to Start.
Admittedly, it wasn’t a perfect concert. One could only feel the unease as Win sang “set my body free” with his wife Régine Chassagne on My Body Is a Cage. Words that had suddenly taken on a different meaning in the last few months.
And even if we had heard them a lot this year, the songs from the new album WE didn’t make us hot or cold on Saturday. As if we were now detached from it. On the other hand, it was a very different story for those of Funeral (Tunnels, Power Out, Rebellion, Haiti, Wake Up) that still move us. For example, we don’t deny an old love overnight.
Not very talkative, Win told the crowd that he was filled with “gratitude” to be able to finish the tour “at home”. He was silent on the allegations. Régine served a “thank you” in French.
When the scandal broke this summer, it was believed Arcade Fire would never recover. On Saturday we even thought we would attend the group’s farewell concert in Montreal or even their funeral. But to see the thousands of spectators dancing all evening, it seems like the fire won’t go out.