ACL Update Sunday- Part 6

The Arcade Fire was the band I came to see. With the sun beating down, I decided to just get a good but long distance view of the stage and a nice view of the screen. So, were they everything people had been saying? I love the CD, but live is always something different. All I can say is that I am still kicking myself for not blowing off Lyle Lovitt (my favorite act on Friday) and seeing them at a club in town. I have no doubt these guys and gals would have blown the roof off of any club in town. The live show consists of about 9 members. I had trouble keeping track because they kept changing places and instruments. Female lead singer became accordion player, became drummer, became bells/percussionist. Violinist became deadly percussionist (more on that later). French horn player… just played the French horn. But, he did get into a pseudo fight with the male violinist. This guy, the violin player was totally crazy out there. At one point he was banging his sticks on anything that didn’t move. Later in the show he pretty much beat the crap out of a cymbal that was attached to a stand. He was actually hitting it as hard as he could and then picked it up and smashed it against things. And this wasn’t even the main attraction as the songs carried on around him. But he reflected the energy and emotion that everyone in this band carried. The music was good, they were fun to watch and they rocked the place. I am constantly amazed at the younger audiences and how they are accepting bands that might not have made it back when we were younger. This was easily my favorite set of the weekend. I need to see them in a smaller venue.