Arcade Fire Band

[LWjetta]

Here might be a good way to rock in the new year.
We all know Austin City Limits is celebrating their 35th anniversary of bringing us some great and innovative music.
As a Canadian eh?-here is a band that recently performed on ACL-a short bio follows.
Quote
Arcade Fire is an indie rock band based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and fronted by the husband and wife duo of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne. In addition to instrument mainstays guitar, drums and bass guitar, members play piano, violin, viola, cello, double bass, xylophone, glockenspiel, keyboard, French horn, accordion, hurdy gurdy, harp and mandolin. The Arcade Fire takes most of their instruments on tour, and the multi-instrumentalist band members switch instrumental duties throughout their shows.
The Arcade Fire has won numerous awards, including both the Meteors 2008 Best International Album award and the Juno Awards 2008 Alternative Album of the Year award for Neon Bible. It has also been nominated for the Best Alternative Music Album Grammy in 2005 for Funeral and in 2008 for Neon Bible.End Quote

The link below offers a full hour of very different music. There are about 10 people in the group playing 80% of musical instruments known.
Including even a megaphone ( a la Sun Green in the NEIL movie "Greendale" )

Also there is a trivia question here to start off 2010 in Lu's Forum.
In the first couple of songs a gal is playing an instrument that she is cranking on ( much like a music box ) What is it?
Tremendous energy by this band and the ACL crowd seemed to love it. It is a full hour of Rock / Indie music that will get you up dancing.

http://video.pbs.org/video/1350236975/
lwj

[tntracy]

Thanks for the latest in all the great links you post, LWJ. I'll be sure & check it out!

Tom

[LWjetta]

Also there is a trivia question here to start off 2010 in Lu's Forum.
In the first couple of songs a gal is playing an instrument that she is cranking on ( much like a music box ) What is it?Tremendous energy by this band and the ACL crowd seemed to love it. It is a full hour of Rock / Indie music that will get you up dancing.

A Post Script to this. Arcade Fire was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album "Neon Bible" at the 2008 Grammys.
This video features that album. It's a Rocker, maybe not to everyone's taste in this Forum, but then again Buick 6 Rocks.
I was impressed with the energy of these kids, also with ten people in the band ticket revenue must not go very far to each. I also noticed they have literally toured the world and have played at many of Lu's venues.
Answer my Trivia question if you have time. "Puleeze".
Happy New Year.
lwj

[LWjetta]

In the first couple of songs a gal is playing an instrument that she is cranking on ( much like a music box ) What is it?

OK here is the answer to close this post.

There is a double meaning here.

What is it?

lwj

[tntracy]

Got me - I'm haven't a notion what that is...

Tom

[TOverby]

There is a well know song from the 60's about a man who played one.

[tntracy]

Not a squeeze box, is it? (I always thought that was a nickname for an accordion...)

Tom

[tntracy]

Not a squeeze box, is it? (I always thought that was a nickname for an accordion...)

Tom

I want to change my guess - I just verified a squeeze box is an accordion.

Is it a hurdy gurdy?

Tom

[LWjetta]

Is it a hurdy gurdy?

Congratulations Tnt. The answer was listed in the short Bio on the band in my original post.

There is a double meaning here.

Here is why.

Quote"As with other gold rushes, entrepreneurs followed the miners. Soon dance halls and saloons sprang up to help the miners forget the hardships they endured. In Barkerville, British Columbia a troupe of Dutch and German dancing girls, the "Hurdy Gurdies", came under chaperone, up to the Cariboo from the dance halls of San Francisco. They were featured as the main attraction in a saloon in Barkerville, where miners were charged one dollar to dance with them". ( Rumor has it they also offered "other" services )


What is a hurdy-gurdy, and how does it work?
The hurdy-gurdy is a stringed instrument in which the strings are rubbed by a rosined wheel instead of a bow. The wheel is turned by the player's right hand, while the left hand plays the tune on the keys in the keybox. Two of the strings (usually), called the chanters or melody strings, run though the keybox and their vibrating length is shortened by the key pressing against it. Several drone strings are outside the keybox, and thus sound the same note all the time. For this reason the hurdy-gurdy sounds similar to a bagpipe. A small movable bridge on one of the drones can be made to vibrate rhythmically by cranking the wheel harder, and this buzzing is used for a rhythmic accompanyment to the tune. ( The instrument has been around for Centuries and there is only one Company in the U.S. that currently hand makes them )

There is a well know song from the 60's about a man who played one.

Oh no-not another trivia question.

lwj

[tntracy]

There is a well know song from the 60's about a man who played one.

Oh no-not another trivia question.

lwj

That would be "Hurdy Gurdy Man" by Donovan...

Tom

[LWjetta]

Montreal based Arcade Fire's song "Wake Up" has been licenced to play at today's Super Bowl. (Just the song, the band won't be appearing.)
Lead guitarist Win Butler's wife Regine who is in the band is from Haiti and all proceeds from the allowing of the song to be aired go to relief work in Haiti.

Here is the article.
http://www.hitfix.com/articles/2010-2-3 ... -superbowl
Also one of the Arcade Fire's songs is in the trailer for the new movie "Where the Wild Things Are" a cute children's movie for all ages and it has been nominated for awards.
Here is the trailer.
http://wherethewildthingsare.warnerbros.com/#/Splash

lwj
P.S.I'm rooting for the home town team to win.

[LWjetta]

We have all been patiently waiting for Lu's new album and tour, same with Arcade Fire's new album and their new tour. ( 3 dates in Canada, the rest in Europe announced so far)
Maybe Lu is on their new full album.
This preview was just released today on their new single.
Very innovative teasing to hear a clip of two songs.
When they appeared on Austin City Limits, the announcer called them one of the most innovative bands currently.
When you play the 2nd tune the disc flips over.
Heck, if you play and pause a few times it'll play backwards-scratchy vinyl included.
http://www.arcadefire.com/
lwj

[LWjetta]

The Arcade Fire (a Canadian group) are in the middle of a huge festival/concert tour in Europe promoting their new album "Suburbs"now as I reported earlier.
I'm posting this to show how far behind we are in North America in an innovative use of an old mining resource as compared to Europe.( in this case Sweden)
QUOTE:
Arcade Fire performing Wake Up at Dalhalla, close to Rättvik in Dalarna, Sweden, on June 30 2010.
Dalhalla is an amphitheatre located in a former limestone quarry. The quarry is 60 metres deep, 400 metres long and 175 metres wide. The open air theater was opened in 1995 and currently has 4000 seats. The acoustical qualities are comparable to the best outdoor stages in Europe.
Arcade Fire was great, as always!
End QUOTE:
Betcha Lu would sound great with her voice resonating off those rocks.
So take a look at this very unique venue.
By the way, yes that is a moat of sorts by the stage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QXgjWgJ ... re=related
lwj