Arcade Fire has been one of my favorite indie rock bands for a while. I love their quirky eccentric vibes. Their whole brand is feels very artsy from their music to their performance to their clothes. Every detail feels thought out and consciously made.
I saw them at Coachella with my friends in 2014. That was my very first Coachella and my very first festival. It was such an amazing adventure. Music had always been a huge passion of mine, but I had never had friends that shared that passion, so this was my first time with a group of friends to experience three whole days of music. To dance, to sing, to laugh, to lay in the grass and feel free. Arcade Fire ended the weekend at their Sunday night set. It was an incredible finale.
Last night they performed on Saturday Night Live with their song "Creature Comfort" and it got me really vibing.
I love the beginning of the song; it really builds up to the vocals. It starts with an intense, kind of dark electronic beats. A drum kit with a sloshy high hat layers on top. Next comes in the keyboard. Each instrument is staggered and building up to the vocals. With each new instrument added, the song starts to feel very happy and positive. I want to get up and dance along with this bouncy beat.
The vocals come in. Will Butler rhythmically speaks the lyrics. The lyrics have a darker tone and contrast the upbeat sound. The hook riffs "God make me famous, if you can't at least make it painless." The chorus is made up of one opening line and then the second line is repeated seven times.
Simple chanted vocals make you want to join in and shout. They create a sense of gestalt, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts." You feel community. You feel like you are just one of many and together we are stronger.
The SNL performance was sick. Their all gold outfits were amazing. I need Régine Chassagne's jumpsuit in my closet! Each band member pretty much stayed in one place, moving and dancing in their own way. Bobbing, swaying, spinning, lurching to the beat. Behind them a large LED screen flashes white light. The strobe effect creates a pop art feel, every flash silhouettes the band against the bright whiteness. As the song builds, the LED wall strobes faster and the band dances harder and smoke fills the stage.
Check it out below. I've also included their second SNL Performance of "Put Your Money on Me."