Arcade Fire at The Backyard [Photos and Review]

Although they were an interesting choice for first opening band considering the kind of music they play, Schmillion managed to turn in an impressive set of edgy rock that will no doubt help in continuing their upward trajectory. While the band won the Austin Music Award for Best U18 Band in 2010, their blend of both '70s underground punk and riotgrrrl energy sounds well beyond their years. It's fitting, then, that the band covered Iggy and the Stooges' "Search and Destroy" towards the end of their set. Singer Natalie Shea has a really solid rock n' roll primed voice, and guitarist Frankie Blue provided some especially impressive solo work throughout. All five band members exhibited a great amount of talent, and they made a solid argument as to why they should belong among the top tier of Austin-bred bands.

Having firmly established themselves in that top tier years ago, the grandiosity and inspiring intensity of Explosions in the Sky was the perfect primer for Arcade Fire. The Backyard was an ideal setting for the band's music to resonate, as the open space gave the band's music the kind of room it needed to attain maximum impact. Guitarists Mark Smith and Munaf Rayani were in top form, and bassist Michael James was able to expand the band's sound by adding a third guitar to the fold, thanks to the addition of a touring bassist. Demonstrating the attention to detail and concentration of seasoned surgeons, the band managed to create their own musical universe onstage with their intricate and expansive soundscapes. Of course, during the band's quieter moments, many people were brought back to earth by noisy show goers, an unfortunate byproduct of any live music atmosphere. However, this did not take away from the fact that Explosions in the Sky turned in an excellent performance that was fitting for the splendor of an evening sky in the hill country.

In true form, Arcade Fire made an entrance like a Grammy-award winning band, as trailers from Over the Edge and The Warriors preceded them. After a short clip of a Christian fundamentalist bearing a sign saying that Judgement Day is upon us on May 21, 2011, the band accordingly opened their set with the charging, punk-like (for them) "Month of May." All eight band members were laser focused right from the start, and the intensity and earnestness was evident across all their faces. Win Butler was already standing atop the barriers during second song "Rebellion (Lies)," and younger brother William was banging on a drum like his life depended on it. It was obvious that the band were not simply content with their recent success, and that they felt as if they had to earn the audience's respect night in and night out.

And earn it they did. The band's set list brought together many of their biggest anthems that healthily represented all three of their albums. The chorus of "City With No Children" saw all of the band members singing, "Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)" featured the same cold yet hopeful atmosphere as was found on record, and the all out splendor of "No Cars Go" saw the audience gleefully joining the band in the chant of "Hey!" The omnipresent organ swells of "Intervention" gave way to some of Win's most impassioned vocals in a night full of them, and multiple band members played shakers to set a sort of eerie mood early on in "Rococo" before the song erupted. Throughout their set, the band kept the energy level at stratospheric heights, and they played with a level of skill and passion that is all their own.

For as political as he is known to be, Win surprisingly kept the politics banter down to a bare minimum, save to remind Austinites that "You have no idea how good you have it here," and an endorsement of the non-profit in Haiti part of the ticket sales were going to. Speaking of Haiti, the song of the same name saw multi-instrumentalist Régine Chassagne dancing improvisation-style in her glowing gold dress between verses, and the trend continued with the dance ribbons she pulled out during the near perfect final song "Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains)." The saga of "The Suburbs"/"Suburban War" was executed beautifully, with the fragile "The Suburbs (Continued)" acting as the perfect segue between the wistful tone of the former and the desperation of the latter.

The band managed to pull out all the stops throughout the night, but it was in their final four songs (set closer, and three encore tracks) that the band really shined. Finishing their main set with one of their finest songs, "Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)" was a cathartic cry that perfectly encapsulated what the band is all about. Sandwiched in between the sheer earnestness of "Ready to Start" and the gorgeous "Sprawl II" was the urgent and downright epic "Wake Up." Though it will always be unfairly associated with Where The Wild Things Are, it received the most reaction from the audience, and the band played on that energy it like they had all night. Arcade Fire may be indie music's chief ambassadors to the mainstream, but the fact that they play like they still have something to prove is a testament to their ever growing legacy as one of the most important bands of the 21st century.

Text by Ryan Lester, photos by Pooneh Ghana