Today’s post is aptly named because everything I’m sharing is so pretty. 🙂
You’re in for a treat. Today I have a ton of music to share with you.
I’m going to start by sharing a few videos from last week’s Arcade Fire show in Minneapolis. This show was by far the BEST arena show I’ve seen. They used both ends of the arena by setting up a stage at both ends and using both throughout their set. In addition, they asked the audience members to dress formal or in costume, and we did. It was so much fun! I would have loved to be on the floor dancing, but then I wouldn’t have been able to see, so I’m glad we got seats. I love being on the floor dancing for small shows in bars, but when I can’t get close enough to see without bruises, I get kind of upset. I actually ended up standing on my chair for the entire show because the people in front of me kept swaying across my entire view of the stage. #shortpeopleproblems
After a fun set by Kid Koala, and a PAINFUL set by Dan Deacon, Arcade Fire hit the stage, and opened with their title track from their current album, “Reflektor”.
Towards the end of the show, they left the stage (like you do), and The Reflektors took the smaller stage to play a cover of Prince’s. Arcade Fire came back and shooed The Reflektors off the second stage. Then they came out with giant heads—Prince and, weirdly, Michele Bachmann (blehhhhh).
Also, this is a good time to point out that people in the front row blocking your view with cell phones PISS ME OFF. But, I’ll gladly steal your video for my blog post, thank you.
Here’s a video of the entire incident, and their finale of “Here Comes the Nighttime”. If you skip to 8:58 you’ll catch my favorite moment of the show. This video isn’t as good as some of the others, but I like that they caught both ends of the arena with action on both stages.
Joan of Arc is by far my favorite song on their new album. I think it’s the rockin’ intro that does it for me.
So that was Arcade Fire. I think The Current has a live recording of it, but I can’t seem to find it. Good on you if you can (and please share it!). They shared a recording of an old Arcade Fire show at First Ave. from 2005, which was equally as fantastic as the show I saw last weekend.
This was a great week in music for me, as I finally received Hunky Dory in the mail. Hunky Dory is David Bowie’s fourth studio album, released in 1971, a year before The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars. This album is where he begins to show his glam rock chops, as the albums that came before it (Man Who Sold The World, and Space Oddity) were more typical classic rock style. My favorite tracks are “Oh, You Pretty Things!”, “Queen Bitch”, “Song for Bob Dylan”, and of course, “Changes”. I’m actually compiling a list of glam rock tunes for an upcoming show, so if you have a suggestion, please let me know. So far I’ve got Bowie, Slade, Sweet, New York Dolls, T-Rex, and Mott the Hoople. <3
Here is Hunky Dory in its entirety if you’re interested in listening.
I also got this killer 45 by Bauhaus with a cover of “Ziggy Stardust” by David Bowie, “Third Uncle” by Brian Eno, and “Waiting for the Man” by The Velvet Underground (with guest vocals from … Nico — ugh, how she ever had singing career is beyond me). Here is Bauhaus with “Ziggy Stardust”.
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Finally, I had a pretty fun radio show this week. Nothing special and no theme, but I did really enjoy my Sorry I’m Not Sorry track (like usual).
Thanks for listening!
