On the concert trail again - Primus, Flaming Lips and Arcade Fire
By Mona Mattei
Three bands in four nights in Vancouver is not uncommon for a city bursting with music. Last week Primus, The Flaming Lips, and Arcade Fire took the city by storm in three extremely different musical scenes. Primus brought their Oddity Faire to the PNE Forum on Saturday, Sept. 25 along with back up bands Portugal, the Man, and Split Lip Rayfield. Unfortunately for the audience, the full Oddity Faire did not come to Vancouver, but Les Claypool, singer, bassist and lead for the band, did his best to fill in occasionally wearing his pig mask, and traveling around the stage in his funky style. Guitarist Larry “Ler” Lalonde and drummer Jay Lane kept impeccable rhythms rolling throughout the show. The crowd at the show was subdued though, despite some of the creative costuming they arrived in. While the band could not have played better, Claypool gave it all for the crowd, this was not the best of the three last week. In a definitely different style, The Flaming Lips hit the stage with a bang – literally – at Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park on Sunday, Sept. 26. While lead singer Wayne Coyne got into his space bubble, the band came out onto stage one by one and took up their song. Coyne was tossed around on the top of fans for a bit before exiting the bubble and joining the band. If you’ve never been to a Lips concert before, it’s a party from start to finish. With the colourful images in constant motion on the screen behind the band, confetti fired from cannons into the audience, and giant balloons bouncing around there isn’t a lot of down time! The best part of the entire band is that they are never pretentious – they are who they are and the audience can always expect nothing less than fun. Shaggy-maned Coyne, guitarist and keyboardist Steven Drozd, bassist Michael Ivins and drummer Kliph Scurlock are out to have fun on stage – it’s not about egos for them. And even though Stanley Park is a no smoking zone, Coyne asked for donations of a joint from the audience – just for the crew mind you! Most of the songs were from their last two albums, and even though they sang ‘Yoshimi’ I missed the singing sock puppet from prior shows. The last show for the week was Arcade Fire. Playing at yet another venue, the Pacific Coliseum, Calexico opened for Arcade and both bands were amazing. Calexico blends a southwestern style – including trumpets and Mexican rhythms – with a rock and roll style that is very distinct. They were a great opening band playing their set without a miss. Then Arcade Fire took the stage with a roar. I’ve heard crowds welcome bands they love, but this one was overwhelming. Canadians love one of their own that has made it to the top, and that is where Arcade Fire is right now. With eight members on stage for the tour, their music is powerful. The talent among the group was demonstrated as, between each song, band members jumped up, dropped one instrument and moved on to another. There are three members who are all drummers, and the rest feel at home moving from keyboard, to guitar, fiddle, rhythm instruments or just singing. Arcade Fire is an indie rock band based in Montreal, Quebec, and fronted by the husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. In addition to founders Butler and Chassagne, members include Richard Reed Parry, William Butler, Tim Kingsbury, Sarah Neufeld and Jeremy Gara. Touring lineups have included Marika Anthony-Shaw, Colin Stetson, Kelly Pratt, Owen Pallett, and Pietro Amato. Butler announced during the show that $1.00 from every ticket sold was donated to an organization called Kanpe providing relief for Haiti – Chassagne’s home country. The power of the show never stopped – it seemed like there was never a slow song even when they played the haunting ‘Rococo’ with its crescendos and acoustic sounds. This show demonstrated why Arcade Fire is on the top of the hit lists on both sides of the Atlantic. Links: www.primusville.com www.flaminglips.com www.arcadefire.com Primus set list 9/25/10 Vancouver, B.C. · Bastards · Fisticuffs · Behind my Camel · Groundhogs Day · Sgt Baker · Pachyderm · Over the Falls · Sathington · Spegetti · Drums · Eleven · Kalamazoo · Bob · Jerry Encore · Frizzle Fry The Flaming Lips set list 9/26/10 Vancouver, B.C. · The Fear · Worm Mountain · Silver Trembling Hands · She Don’t Use Jelly · The Sparrow Looks Up At The Machine · In The Morning of the Magicians · I Can Be a Frog · Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 1 · See the Leaves · The Ego’s Last Stand · Sagittarius Silver Announcement · The W.A.N.D. Encore: · Do You Realize?? Arcade Fire set list 9/28/10 Vancouver, B.C. · Ready to Start · Neighborhood #2 (Laika) · No Cars Go · Haïti · Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) · Modern Man · Rococo · The Suburbs · The Suburbs (Continued) · Suburban War · Intervention · We Used to Wait · Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) · Rebellion (Lies) · Month of May · Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) Encore: · Keep the Car Running
· Wake Up
