The Life Aquatic

Here are two stories that I feel I have to mention before I get to the Arcade Fire greatness:

• Scientists took pictures of a giant squid in it's own environment for the first time ever. The thing is huge and awesome.
• Pirates still exist!

Moving on...

The Arcade Fire was amazing last night, no surprise. We missed Bell Orchestre because when it rains people are shocked and forget how to drive. Would have liked to have seen them, but oh well, I'll pirate their music either way. Ergo, we made it in to the Riv just in time to hear Wolf Parade begin. Much to my chagrin, but not surprise, Wolf Parade was mediocre. Similar to the Bloc Party show, they sounded good but something was missing. Nice to see them and I would see them again to give them a second chance, but I was not overly impressed. And then the Arcade Fire took the stage and showed why they are the best live show going. I normally abhor people singing along loudly, but at a show like this its totally inevitable. In fact, I'm pretty surprised I can talk right now. However, me and Girlfriend have a strange ability to be in close proximity to both annoying drunk broads and guys who dance really weird and are most certainly gay. Nonetheless, the show was out of this world and I still can't really hear that great out of my left ear. In a good way. Here is the setlist for those who care:

• Wake Up (with a Bob Dylan - 'A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall' intro, fitting considering the weather)
• Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
• Headlights Look Like Diamonds
• Haiti
• I'm Sleeping in a Submarine
• 5 Years (David Bowie cover)
• Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)
• Crown of Love
• Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
• Neighborhood #3 (Power's Out)
• Rebellion (Lies)
• No Cars Go *encore
• In the Backseat *encore

It is awesome to me that they can change up the order of the songs when compared to the album because they flow so perfectly on it, but they lose nothing when played live and out of normal sequence. After the show there was a fair amount of craziness. As I waited in line for the Wolf Parade vinyl, Richard Reed Parry (multi-instrumentalist from AF) came and was talking to some dude. Then this kid tries to re-enter1 and this huge security jerk chokes him out and takes him down to the floor. I would imagine this kid was at biggest 5'11" and 160 lbs. and no more than 18 years old. Nonetheless, the security needlessly takes him down and everybody watched and was really confused. It was just a strange sequence of events and completely unneccessary. After that all happened and I bought my record I went and had this lengthy conversation with Richard:

• TK: You guys were amazing.
• RRP: Thanks.

It should be noted that he looks almost exactly like Napoleon Dynamite2. All in all, it was a terrific show and Arcade Fire have been elevated to the list of bands I will try and see every time they come back to Chicago3,4.

1. He 'just wanted to buy a t-shirt." And, his 'dad knows the guy who owns [the Riv]."
2. And he was wearing a shirt that I am almost certain came from H&M as I considered buying it earlier in the day.
3. This list is now two bands long: The Strokes and the Arcade Fire, and possibly Four Tet.
4. However, AF will not be back soon. According to the lead singer they're not coming back until they have 1 million new songs.