"We're overwhelmed by the turnout, I'm not shitting you."

"I don't know how to express this without having the urge to cry, it was really beautiful, unique, they are more than musicians, they are complete artists"

That was my quote (in english) that aired this morning at 8am on 95.1 fm, Radio Canada Premiere Chaine when they talked about one of the best shows that I have ever seen in my life, yeah, you heard me Radiohead. I saw Montreal's own Arcade Fire last night for the first time. Like many un-cool Montrealers, it's really hard to see them live. Almost as hard as crossing on of the multi-talented artists in the streets (so far I'm still at 2 out of 8) but this occasion proved too good to be true. I wasn't keen on the idea at first. I thought that the whole city would be swimming across the St-Laurence in haste to get close to the mini stage that was located in the parking lot of Place Longueuil, that's right, Longueuil... know to us Montrealers as the "Mullet" capital of Quebec and to gullible anglophones as "Long-eye".

I attended the show with the Lady and our good friend Flo. A good 2 hours in advance and that was enough for us to be close to the stage. Lady got us some Tim Horton's sandwiches to ease the wait but with only minutes past 8, all eyes and ears were focussed on the mini-stage, a mini-stage yet just big enough to fit all 8 members of indie rock's Kings and Queens. I felt that it being free was a cheat but I also felt that before the band would release the album and tour for the next year or two, they let us in on the "game" before the rest of the world would get a listen. They opened with 2 new songs from their next album The Suburbs, followed then by "No Cars Go".

I don't feel the need to go through every song one by one but remember "Roccoco" that track will blow your mind!! some people have written today that "the sound was off", bollocks to that!! (well where I was, it was perfect) and Roccoco was heavy and hard that I felt it in my bones. They played some more classics then another new song called "Suburbs" which is available for listen on the bands website. They left the stage, thanked the crowd then returned for a few more and ended the night with "Wake up" from the bands first album Funeral. I was from that point on a deer in the headlights, I froze, I didn't sing or anything, I was too scared at that point, I felt that between the first time I heard that song and immediately fell in love with it to the first time hearing it live with 8000 other people, so much has happen in my life and I was really taken by that particular song. What really scared me though was breaking out in tears in front of 8000 people...

Enough of being deep and serious, Arcade Fire make really beautiful music, they played a free gig for their Montreal fans and I took pictures too! I posted some below and the rest are on my FLICKR page so head on over and have a look!!

and head on over to ARCADE FIRE's website to hear some new music, The Suburbs comes out August 4th.