Arcade Fire-Greek, 10/3

As stated in earlier posts, Arcade Fire has a big significant bookmark in my life. Funeral came along when I struggled with my inner turmoil of self boredom, adulthood responsibilities, the society placed stigmas of where we should be at a certain age of life, and just an overall restless leg syndrome of long time placement in an area I desperately wanted to flee. (Side note: wowza-school is making me exam myself too much-say thankee). At any rate, “Wake Up” was a beacon of salvation-no, scratch that-it was a song in the soundtrack to that moment of life where the main character, me, makes the decision to do something about her situation; “fucking do something different. Loved ones will be there, even if they don’t understand, life will go on; your proverbial balls won’t recede; and further more, you will live.”

That little mental soul vomit aside…I first saw Arcade Fire in Seattle after the release of Neon Bible. They are easily one of my top ranked bands to see before you die. It was like being reunited with a mentor or hero after they helped you through a storm. This time I saw them at the Greek in Berkeley with Calexico as their opener. If you haven’t seen Calexico, I highly recommend it. They’ve got some smooth Latin inspired sounds that translate fantastically to the stage. As for AF, this band-all 32 of them- is a cracked out whore faced with the prospect of a ball playpen, filled with penises wrapped in singles.** Translation: so much energy that makes them run amok on a stage with props, instruments, and interpret dance. The heroin cracked out drummer boy that could? Yeah, he’s hypnotic, easily the most energetic of the whole band and you cannot help but let your eyes be a laser beam of intense Jeffery Dalmer watchfulness in the glow of his unicorn glitter farting glory. Oh yes, I just said ALL OF THAT! Recognize.

Having seen them before, I knew they were going to do an encore and I knew that encore would include “Wake Up” as its closer. So when they broke out with that song you could hear the whole audience singing along to the chorus...I literally had chills. Can you imagine 8,000 people fully moved by this song, singing along, and connecting? It was some made for TV movie shit; I tell you what.

They’re good, and they make great music that is easy to love…but I found myself in periods of lulls because I wanted the first album, the one that was my rock, my soundtrack and my soul mover. This show also felt a bit lacking in luster…Now, don’t get me wrong, this was one fantastic fucking show and I think everyone should experience these guys. And who knows, maybe my slight sliver of a ho-hum attitude was developed from the possible contact high I may have developed from the fat couple one row down from me, smoking some fruity smelling weed, the ENTIRE concert. Seriously, I would've been immobile after that much weed.

(Kimmay is walking the line)
**side note, this entry may or may not, have been written after some booze intake.

When something comes up and emotionally side swipes you...

God Arcade Fire, you melt me. There’s something about Funeral that brings a flood of heart attacking memories. And it always knows when my guts are reeling with emotions

In 2005/06 my life was in a self induced upheaval. I had never ventured life outside of Southern California and the previous paths I had chosen were doing me great injustice. Of what you might ask? Well the fact that there is so much to explore, learn and live through and I was merely picking my ass while I rotted away in an area nicknamed “land of the dirt people”; I had to move, I had to get the fuck out. I remember when I heard the Funeral in its entirety; it was whilst sitting down to a beer, with a fellow redhead. That album bookmarked the already known subconscious decision in to solidification, that I was about to embark on new adventures.

My wanderlust…it was born. I now know I can up and move and land on my feet. Granted the landing is the hardest part and in my case a shaky one. With the love and support of family and friends, I preserver. My wanderlust, she still hungers…I feel I’m destined for something fantastic but how do you find that fantastic when you don’t know what the hell it is? And of course, I can’t get to that pretty pretty fantastic moment without actually doing SOMETHING… Perhaps my life is truly just walking this earth, watching my shadow grow long beneath my strides and doing it alone with only my own soul to share it with…or maybe it’s to use these great hips to pop out a bunch of puppies. But since I have disdain for children, we’ll go with option A.

Of course all of this brain over-analyzing could be a fierce side effect from my new corduroy pants being tragically too tight; creating not only a muffin-muffin-top-gurl but also cutting blood flow somehow to my thought center. Either way, I give mad props to Levi’s for the button not busting and producing attire that affectively remind me to eat better, lay off the beer and lose an inch from my mid section.

Cheers

Look in my eyes, I am serious...these pants are tight!

Arcade Fire-a love story

Arcade fire was my theme music, when I hit that moment in my life where I decided to throw caution to the wind, pack up my house and get the fuck out of Riverside.

I get a lot of people who ask ‘why Seattle?’…My answer ‘why not? Have you seen this place?!’ Growing up my grandparents had a vacation house on the Hood Canal, around the Sea beck area, and we would vacation in Washington during the summers and escape the brown Hell’s inferno of So Cal. I always loved it here and there were a few times we almost moved up here. So needless to say, I always wanted to be here. New Years 06, I had made the resolution that I would move out of state, my choices were London or Seattle (both similar climates). As I started the immigration process, I realized it was going to be too costly and I would have to sell my house, my possessions and quarantine my cats for 6months. In March of 06, my friend Bernie and I decided to take a weekend trip to Seattle for some snowboarding. I can tell you that I felt like I was home. Before the weekend was even done I had made the decision that Seattle was where I was going and post haste.

(Alpental ebow drop) (en route to Baker) (I worked that SUV)

That decision came while I was sitting in Pioneer Saloon, Arcade Fire’s Funeral was playing, I was sitting with my future boyfriend and my future roommate Bernie (she decided to move with me) and it just clicked; and this album became my strength and soundtrack for what would be a HUGE fucking change in my life.

All I can say is, when I get an idea in my head to do something, I go full bore (case in point: Wanted to do make-up, picked a school in Burbank for night classes. Worked full time at my Marketing job in south Corona and commuted to Burbank after work-EVERY-MUTHA-FUCKING-DAY for a month. 2hours there, 1 hour home, in the summer with no AC, over 5800miles on my Mustang; but I did it and now I’m a pro artist as a hobby). So I was saying, wild hair+full bore=me moving 3 months later to Seattle; and ‘Wake Up’ was playing as I pulled the moving van out of my driveway

You should’ve seen me when I finally saw them in September 07 at the Bank of America theater; I was dancing up a storm and lost my voice singing along…they put on one amazing high energy show and the visuals kinda put you on sensory overload. Their music is so full and powerful; building up and mellowing out before coming on strong again and knocking you on your ass.

Two years later and every time I hear the Funeral, I get all sentimental and sometimes a bit misty eyed.

Even though I have moments of missing So Cal...I don’t regret the move