On their 2005 Vertigo tour, U2 came on stage to the strains of Arcade Fire’s Wake Up. It felt like an act of benediction on the part of stadium rock’s undisputed kings, a public equivalent of the fabled “Bono talk” in which U2’s frontman is reputed to approach young bands and offer congratulations and advice in a welcome-to-the-board-of-directors style. Here was a band made of similar stuff to early 80s U2 – born out of alternative rock, but with ambitions far beyond it; socially conscious; apparently powered by religious or quasi-religious fervour – and capable of doing what U2 did commercially by the end of the 80s.
Arcade Fire clearly weren’t averse to the idea. They dealt almost exclusively in grand statements with anthemic songs frequently divided into multiple parts, big sounds and spectacular shows. The bigger they got – awards, arena gig livecasts directed by Terry Gilliam, albums entering the charts at No 1 – the more their ambitions adjusted accordingly: 2013’s Reflektor was an 85-minute double album, inspired by Kierkegaard and featuring a guest appearance from David Bowie, accompanied by a feature-length making-of documentary and their own US TV special.
