Band Spotlight: Arcade Fire!

Arcade Fire is an indie rock band that headlined at Coachella in 2011. The band comes from Montreal, Quebec, Canada and was started by the husband and wife duo Win Butler and Regine Chassagne. The other band members include Will Butler, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, Jeremy Gara, and Sarah Neufeld. The band members collectively play more than fifteen different instruments, which contributes to Arcade Fire's extremely unique sound. 

Arcade Fire gained recognition in 2004 with the release of their first album Funeral. The album title and songs were sadly influenced by the deaths of many friends and family members of band members during its production. The band went from playing small clubs to much larger venues throughout 2004 to 2006. With artists like David Bowie and U2 supporting the band, they became popular very quickly.


Two more extremely successful albums, Neon Bible and The Suburbs, followed. The Suburbs received extensive critical acclaim. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 in the United States, Canada, and the UK. 

Arcade Fire performed at the 53rd Grammy Awards in February 2011. That year, they were nominated for Album of the Year, Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with a Vocal, and Best Alternative Music Album. Arcade Fire's The Suburbs won the Grammy for Album of the Year, as well as the awards for Best International Album and Best International Group at the 2011 BRIT Awards.

At Coachella, tens of thousands of people swarmed the Main Stage as they played late Saturday night. Giant glowing balls fell from the sky as they performed. It was one of the best performances I have seen at Coachella in the past three years, and one I will never forget.