Kevin Bronson on April 18th, 2011

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Who: Arcade Fire on the main stage
In 3 Words or Less: Canadians’ conquering fire
I’ll Remember This Forever Because: C’mon – it was a headlining set at Coachella by Arcade Fire. Let’s drop all the detritus about what the band’s success this year augurs for the larger world of indie rock and indie labels and whatever else we can prefix with “indie,” and call Saturday night what it was this was: a sweaty, cathartic victory lap for the band, one that belonged entirely to the them – and one they so beautifully shared with thousands on the vast grassy expanse. Opening with the lean sprint and pummel of “Month of May,” Arcade Fire launched a veritable best-of set that skipped from the slinky rumble and sensuous vocal swoons of “Rebellion” to the heart-swelling and rising roar of “No Cars Go” to the jittery swoons of “Haiti” (highlights of which were the hypnotic, serpentine vocals and dance moves of Régine Chassagne).

Throughout, the band seemed more than a little humbled by their position as headliners, with frontman Win Butler expressing audible disbelief that Animal Collective was opening for them and not vice versa. As a lovely warm breeze snaked its way across the field and the light of an almost-full moon bathed the crowd, Arcade Fire’s performance almost began to feel like a ritual in which the group officially acknowledged and ascended to their status as Band of Our Generation – a heady and pretentious proclamation to be sure, but name another band that can close their set with the throat-lumped howls of pain and redemption of “Wake Up,” only to pull off an encore of “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)” and “Sprawl II.” Exactly. We saw Our Band reach their apex on Saturday night, an elegiac and gorgeous set of rock ”˜n roll jacketed with art, liberation, and thousands upon thousands of dancing desert people. Last night was Arcade Fire’s moment–and it was ours, too.
What I’d Tell My Friends Who Left Before The Set To Beat The Traffic: Why come to a music festival if you skip stuff like this?
– Travis Woods