Awesome, awesome, awesome, easily one of my best nights in Paris, and a great way to see my first real concert in Europe!!! This was the Reflektors / Arcade Fire show at Pavillon Baltard this past Friday. Due to the ticket seller, Digitick, botching up the sale big time, I had pretty much lost all hope of attending this almost-instantly sold-out show. Luckily for me, at the very last moment a fellow music-lover of a similar mind, Telma, offered up an extra ticket at face value! To put this in perspective, scalpers were asking for between 200€ to 1000€ per ticket (original price: 51€). That's just not right. Telma's gesture really helped restore my faith in humanity, at least locally.
Arcade Fire Fans
Safety Not Guaranteed
I arrived in line a few hours early to try to score tickets for a friend - alas, no such luck. So, I spent my time watching a steady stream of oddly clad fans slowly making their way through the streets of Nogent-sur-Marne to the venue. As part of the festivities, the group had requested attendees to show up in fancy dress or in costume. I did, choosing a combo of the two, and was glad to see many others did as well in a variety of outfits. I'm sure the locals had no idea what to make of us all, though the management of the Pavillon did their best to communicate to them to not get startled by the "passionate, well-educated fans in their thirties" of a quirky Canadian band. How cute :)
Crossbones and Spidey Plot Captain America's Downfall
Win Butler and Régine Chassagne started off the show up in the balcony area amidst those who couldn't make it to the floor - a nice touch - before heading down to join the rest of the band and get things rolling. It was a very intimate, festive concert. The atmosphere was great throughout and you almost felt like you were having a rocking party celebration with a room full of family and close friends.
I completely let loose and had an amazing time, headbanging and "dancing" like a maniac. Everyone did. The crowd was a great, friendly bunch. Afterward we all crowded onto the RER and people sang and chattered away into the night. For a moment, I felt like I was back in Montreal. Definitely an experience I'll not soon forget.
