Arcade Fire in Munich: a contradictory evening
Created: 09/19/2022, 15:38
By: Jörg Heinrich
Has since apologized for his misconduct - but his band is in its biggest crisis: Win Butler, singer of Arcade Fire, in Munich.
© Martin Hangen
Arcade Fire gave a triumphant and contradictory concert in Munich's Olympiahalle, which was overshadowed by the latest allegations against singer Win Butler.
Our criticism:
Oh, that was nice.
Oh, that was sad.
The much-loved indie-pop band Arcade Fire from Canada, which has been considered one of the "good guys" in the music business for two decades, gave a concert that was as triumphant as it was contradictory in Munich's Olympiahalle, which was overshadowed by the latest allegations against singer Win Butler.
The 42-year-old is accused of sexual assault by four female fans half his age.
The music magazine "Pitchfork" published unsavory details at the end of August.
The tour goes on anyway.
Arcade Fire delivered rousing music in the half-full Olympic Hall.
But the homely feeling of being a fan of this band is gone for now.
Arcade Fire in Munich: the Olympic Hall is half full
#MeToo could be experienced live in Munich.
The missteps of rock stars, who take advantage of their heroic status towards fans, are no longer tolerated today, and rightly so.
Win Butler recently apologized for "the mistakes I made".
The band from Montreal, which always came across as likeable as a brightly colored circus company, is nevertheless in its greatest crisis.
And with "WE", with "WIR", which is the title of the latest album, emblazoned oversized on one of the amplifiers, Butler is currently making it extremely difficult for the listeners.
Singer Leslie Feist has pulled out of the tour amid protests
Singer Leslie Feist quit as a support act during the tour in protest.
And the fact that Win Butler's wife, the wonderfully lively Régine Chassagne, is the highlight of every Arcade Fire concert, both visually and musically, makes everything even sadder.
She sticks by him, whirls through the show in Munich on the accordion or drums.
And if you admire them, you can be happy about what a fantastic band you can experience here.
Arcade Fire singer Win Butler makes it difficult for fans
With their massive, powerful hits like "Black Wave" or "The Suburbs", which alternate between David Bowie and the old, good Coldplay, Arcade Fire deliver absolute happy-making music.
And with "Everything Now", a kind of "Dancing Queen" of indie pop, the whole hall dances along.
"It's never over," Win Butler sings at some point, it's never over - which hopefully also applies to the music of Arcade Fire.
