Arcade Fire, a Montreal-based indie band with deep connections to McGill, surprised fans and critics alike when their third album, The Suburbs, debuted at #1 on music charts in Canada, the United States and Great Britain.
In an era of rampant file-sharing, the group sold an astounding 156,000 copies of the album in the U.S. and another 31,000 in Canada during the week following its release.
McGill grad Win Butler, BA’04, and his wife Régine Chassagne, who briefly studied jazz at the University, are the group’s principal songwriters and share lead vocal duties. In a 2004 interview with the McGill News, Butler said that band mates Richard Parry and Tim Kingsbury also used to sneak into the Strathcona Music Building to practise in its soundproof rooms. So it’s no exaggeration to say that McGill played a role in the group’s formation and early success.
The Suburbs marks the moment when Arcade Fire made the jump from indie darlings to mainstream stars. Two days after the album dropped on August 3, the band performed to a sold-out audience at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The show was simulcast on the Web in a production directed by Terry Gilliam, of Monty Python and Brazil fame.
Arcade Fire has not only been feeling the love from fans but from critics as well.
“The Montreal septet’s success, despite a music industry increasingly dependent on reality TV, ring tones or advertising alliances to sell its product, is a testament to the band’s vision and ambition,” wrote the Globe and Mail in an editorial. And MTV.com gushed, “they are now, officially, the heavyweight champions of the rock world.”
In less than 10 years, this group of talented multi-instrumentalists has gone from hustling for free rehearsal space to selling out stadiums, headlining major music festivals like Lollapolooza, and hanging out with legends like U2, Bruce Springsteen and David Bowie.
Anyone associated with the University can take pride in the fact that Win, Régine and the entire band are just the latest in a string of accomplished and influential musicians who have found inspiration at McGill.
Did you know any of the members of Arcade Fire during their McGill days? Did you catch any of their early performances around Montreal? Share your memories below.
Win Butler, BA'04, and Régine Chassagne (centre, on car), who both studied at McGill, lead the critically acclaimed band Arcade Fire.
I remember a night in April, 2001, when the Arcade Fire were just starting out.
It was a “battle of the bands” show at the then newly-refurbished Cabaret Juste Pour Rire on St. Laurent. Just over a dozen acts took to the stage in rapid-fire succession, playing 20-minute sets and then leaving as quickly as they came. The Arcade Fire was among them.
I can’t remember the band lineup but Win and Regine were at the forefront then as now. I remember their stage show included bright red tube lights wrapped around guitars and accordions. It was a sight to see.
I was in the backstage area during the afternoon soundcheck and one of the band members, sporting a sharp old military coat (I think it was Win) observed to his colleagues how great it was to have reached a point when they could play a set of all original material, without having to resort to covers.
Other McGill bands in attendance were Bear Left, (Howie Kislowicz ’05, Matthew Wiviott ’07, and Shai Korman ’06) and Euphoric Side-Effects (Andrew Mark ’04, Fred Kosak ’04, Jesse Gantz ’04, and myself). I’m sure there were some others.
At the end of the evening’s (seemingly somewhat arbitrary) judging, Euhporic Side-Effects, Bear Left, and The Arcade Fire walked off with 3rd, 4th, and 5th prizes respectively. A nice haul for McGill – but nobody could have guessed at what lay ahead for the Arcade Fire – without a doubt the most significant mark that McGill has had on the landscape of modern pop.
-Ian Ratzer ’04, ’05
I did a M.Music in Sound Recording at McGill 2002-04. Richard (bassist) and Sarah (violinist) of Arcade Fire had friends in the Sound Recording department and did a number of recordings at McGill. Their other band (Belle Orchestre) did some recording sessions with us for one of our classes. If I remember right, a couple tracks they did at McGill may be on their demo album!
I remember that Régine Chassagne received her BA in communication studies from Concordia in 1998.
My wife and I recently attended the 3rd concert, at Merriweather Post Pavilion near D.C., of Arcade Fire’s current tour. While we were there, waiting for them to take the stage, our son Walker (BA ’08) texted us from Boston that once, while he was a student at McGill, he had spied Win Butler in the produce section of the supermarket buying tomatoes. We both got a laugh out of this.
Incidentally, they put on a tremendous show!
I saw them in Paris at l’Olympia 2 years ago and they were amazing!
very good memory! very good energy! j’adore!
Hi,
I’m a McGill graduate from way back; I dare say from the early 70′s. Two of my sons also graduated from McGill. All four of my brothers went to McGIll. My dad was a professor for 20 years at McGIll. As you can see we have a history and tradition at McGill. So when I received the Aug. 2010 McGillian Newsletter as I do every month, I found out that you Arcade Fire were making the headlines on the music chart. Wow, what talent we have at McGill! Congratulations to all of you. I must admit that I havn’t listened to your music and would like to before buying some CDs. I can’t find a link to your websites where I can listen to some samples. Can you guide me? Thank you very much.
Jacques
http://www.youtube.com/user/ArcadeFireVEVO?blend=2&ob=1
Torontonians must be miffed that an English band has made it big out of Montréal!
“So it’s no exaggeration to say that McGill played a role in the group’s formation and early success”
Pffft, typcial of Mcgill to take credit for the successes of Arcade Fire.
Wasn’t Win a Relgious Studies major?
Ed. Note: we have checked his alumni record and he was a religious studies major, yes. But the degree he earned is a Bachelor of Arts.