ARCADE FIRE // CORN EXCHANGE, EDINBURGH

ARCADE FIRE RETURN TO SCOTLAND'S CAPITAL FOR SOLD OUT GIG

ARCADE FIRE PERFORMING AT EDINBURGH'S CORN EXCHANGE - 08/06/2017
PICTURE BY: STUART WESTWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

From playing the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh to huge crowd during 2005, then to supporting Scotland's very own 'Franz Ferdinand'  at T in the Park in 2007 and then before 8,500 fans filled the very famous Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle during 2011.

But Arcade Fire’s return to Scotland was deliberately low key as they performed an intimate gig at Edinburgh’s Corn Exchange on Thursday night to support the new album Everything Now, which is out on July 28 via Columbia records.

One of the biggest bands in the world, Arcade Fire could have easily filled the likes of Meadowbank Stadium and Murrayfield Stadium in the city, but instead choose to play Corn Exchange, so for the lucky few in attendance at the Corn Exchange this was a rare chance to see them up close.

The Canadian collective – comprised of William Butler, Win Butler, Régine Chassagne, Jeremy Gara, Tim Kingsbury and Richard Reed Parry – performed several songs from their soon-to-be-released newbie (including ABBA-esque recent single Everything Now and Signs of Life), and delighted the crowd with anthems like (set-opener) Wake Up, Ready To Start, Rebellion (Lies), No Cars Go, Neon Bible and (set-closer) Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains).

Of the new songs, Creative Comfort, which sees Chassagne trade lines with husband Win Butler, was a particular highlight, while the 360-degree stage set-up gave the gig an intimate feel.

The Montreal-based band never fail to thrill on the live stage and, after more than an hour-and-a-half of sweeping, soaring anthems, fans filed out of the venue chanting “f*ck the Tories”, and in no doubt they’d just witnessed one of the best gigs of the year. The band finished walking off stage performing a acoustic jam with fans in lobby before returning to lounge and dressing rooms back stage.

ARCADE FIRE'S TOUR CONTINUES:

JUNE 10 - ISLE OF WIGHT FESTIVAL 2017 - ISLE OF WIGHT, UK
JUNE 13 - BELSONIC FESTIVAL 2017 - BELFAST, UK
JUNE 14 - MALAHIDE CASTLE - DUBLIN, IRELAND
JUNE 16 - TANZBRUNNEN - COLOGNE, GERMANY
JUNE 17 - BEST KEPT SECRET FESTIVAL - HILVARENBEEK, NETHERLANDS
JUNE 19 - IN MUSIC FESTIVAL - ZAGREB, CROATIA
JUNE 29 - ROCK WERCHTER - WERCHTER, BELGIUM
JULY 01 - ROSKILDE FESTIVAL - ROSKILDE, DENMARK
JULY 02 - WUHLHEIDE - BERLIN, GERMANY
JULY 04 - YORK HALL - LONDON, UK
JULY 05 - YORK HILL - LONDON, UK
JULY 06 - CASTLEFIELD BOWL - MANCHESTER, UK
JULY 08 - ROCKHAL - ESCH SUR -  ALZETTE, LUXEMBOURG
JULY 09 - EUROCKEENES FESTIVAL - BELFORT, FRANCE
JULY 11 - AHOI! THE FULL HIT OF SUMMER - LINZ, AUSTRIA
JULY 15 - VIEILLES CHARRUES CARHAIX - PLOUGER, FRANCE
JULY 17 - MILANO SUMMER FESTIVAL - MILAN, ITALY
JULY 18 - FIRENZE SUMMER FESTIVAL - FLORENCE, ITALY
JULY 19 - PALEO FESTIVAL - NYON, SWITZERLAND
AUGUST 06 - GRANT PARK - CHICAGO, ITALY
SEPTEMBER 05 - CENTRE VIDEOTRON - QUEBEC, CANADA
SEPTEMBER 06 - BELL CENTRE - MONTREAL, CANADA
SEPTEMBER 09 - CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE - OTTAWA, CANADA
SEPTEMBER 12 - MADISON SQUARE GARDEN - NEW YORK, USA
SEPTEMBER 15 - TD GARDEN - BOSTON, USA
SEPTEMBER 16 - VERIZON CENTER - WASHINGTON, DC, USA
SEPTEMBER 17 - WELLS FARGO CENTER - PHILADELPHIA, USA
SEPTEMBER 21 - INFINITE ENERGY ARENA - ATLANTA, USA
SEPTEMBER 22 - USF SUN DOME - TAMPA, USA
SEPTEMBER 23 - WATSCO CENTER - MIAMI, USA
SEPTEMBER 26 - UNO LAKEFRONT ARENA - NEW ORLEANS, USA
SEPTEMBER 27 - FRANK ERWIN CENTER - AUSTIN, USA
SEPTEMBER 28 - AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER - DALLAS, USA
OCTOBER 11 - ROGERS PLACE - EDMONTON, CANADA
OCTOBER 12 - SCOTIABANK SADDLEDOME - CALGARY, CANADA
OCTOBER 14 - PACIFIC COLISEUM - VANCOUVER, CANADA
OCTOBER 15 - KEY ARENA - SEATTLE, USA
OCTOBER 17 - ORACLE ARENA - OAKLAND, USA
OCTOBER 18 - VIEJAS ARENA - SAN DIEGO, USA
OCTOBER 20 - THE FORUM - INGLEWOOD, USA
OCTOBER 22 - MANDALAY BAY EVENTS CENTER - LAS VEGAS, USA
OCTOBER 25 - PEPSI CENTER - DENVER, USA
OCTOBER 27 - SILVERSTEIN EYE CENTERS ARENA - KANAS CITY, USA
OCTOBER 29 - XCEL ENERGY CENTER - ST PAULS, USA
NOVEMBER 01 - WINDSOR CREDIT FAMILY UNION CENTRE - WINDSOR, CANADA
NOVEMBER 03 - AIR CANADA CENTRE - TORONTO, CANADA
DECEMBER 15 - FESTIVAL BUE - BUEONS AIRES, ARGENTINA

REVIEW BY: CALUM BUCHAN
PHOTOS BY: STUART WESTWOOD PHOTOGRAPHY

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