Disappointed in the Arcade Fire

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

I should CC: this to Carles at Hipster Runoff, too.

Hometown friend of mine drove to Chicago to see the second and third nights of the Arcade Fire's weekend set at UIC Pavillion. We are both big fans, he first saw them in 08 at an AF/LCD Soundsystem bill in Columbus. I saw them in 05 and 07. He said he had a great time, but he had a few beefs with the band:

Over three fucking nights, they played the exact same songs except for five songs (My Body is a Cage, Suburban War [pitifully underplayed], City With No Children, Empty Room and Sprawl I). Only Neon Bible songs played were Intervention and Keep the Car Running. Nothing special off Funeral, i.e. Crown of Love, Une Annee Sans Lumiere, In the Backseat, etc.

In addition to setlist beefs, he mentioned how they only played 100 min each night, they kept the setlists around 17/18 songs and they charged $50 a ticket.

C'mon, guys. Time to step your games up. You're headlining mid-level arenas, charging $50 a ticket. I don't think anyone is asking for Pearl Jam or Bruce-level setlists, but needless to say, you're a huge fucking band and you have a catalog to play longer and more varied shows. Playing only five different songs over a three day span is just pathetic. And it's not like this was a one-off three day set. They were touring before (and are touring after). Can't play Deep Blue or Wasted Hours? Not even Neon Bible or Black Wave/Bad Vibrations? No Ocean of Noise?

And of course, they break out Crown of Love and Ocean of Noise in Indianapolis on Wednesday.

[reggie]

100 minutes for a headliner isn't exactly shortchanging the audience is it?

And, they've been playing the same set-lists on tour for ages right? It's not like a Springsteen show where he pulls different songs out of the cannon each night, and no two shows are the same.

[Vas Deferens]

it's a shame they don't play 'City with No Children', probably the only tolerable song on the new album.

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

100 minutes for a headliner isn't exactly shortchanging the audience is it?

And, they've been playing the same set-lists on tour for ages right? It's not like a Springsteen show where he pulls different songs out of the cannon each night, and no two shows are the same.

Maybe so on the former, on the latter, why should we accept effort barely more than playing the same setlist every night?

[ggw]

They are Grammy winners, so they have different priorities.  It's all about catering to the casual fan now.  So the shows have been commoditized.  I bet that crazy Texan, Win Butler makes the same "spontaneous" comments at each show too.  They are like Applebees - the Sizzling Asian Shrimp should taste exactly the same no matter which location you go too or what night you go.

[Relaxer]

TMUL, what are your thoughts on PJ Harvey? Would you not say you can't deny they aren't mutually exclusive except the opposite of that?

[Relaxer]

I think I just saw God

[Thousand Made-Up Loves]

TMUL, what are your thoughts on PJ Harvey? Would you not say you can't deny they aren't mutually exclusive except the opposite of that?

I saw the thread on her. I know of her. But I don't know anything about her nor any of her music.