Current mood:	awake
Current music:	A Man I'll Never Be - Boston
Entry tags:	review

Arcade Fire
Went to see The Arcade Fire in Berkeley last night at the Greek Theatre, which is an outdoor amphitheatre with concrete steps arranged in a giant semi-circle around the mosh pit. We weren't really sure hot to get there from the BART station but, as I had expected, we were able to follow the throng of people walking over there.

The Arcade Fire have an amazing stage presence that indicates their comfort with being stage to perform live for thousands of people. This was the last show on their tour so they pulled some stunts that they hadn't tried the previous night; part-way through their set, one of the many band members chased another one up the scaffolding and then they both began beating drumsticks on the metal in time to the song.

Although I've loved their music for well over a year now, I was pleasantly surprised to discover the wide array of instruments they employed onstage, ranging from the traditional drum kit, keyboard and 2 guitars to classical strings, horns and a pipe organ. Their exceptionally high number of musicians - I counted 10 - allowed them to mic and match this eclectic ensemble of instruments as the songs dictated.

I was also impressed by the way they synchronized the lights with the music. They had a series of rods sticking vertically up from the stage front and sometimes had these light up in time with the music. At other times they flashed the spotlight onto the mosh pit to the beat instead. Despite the temporary blindness, it was a neat effect.