One of the things that comes along with “The Artist(s) of Their Generation” for any musical artist or band is an extreme and unfettered sense of nigh-overwhelming pretentiousness, usually made tolerable by the artist or artists amazing songs and records. Another thing that comes with that title is an extreme amount of scrutiny—everything that the artist or artists say or do is parsed for meaning and judged.
Which is why we shouldn’t have been too surprised when Arcade Fire pretentiously made the ridiculous request that fans dress in ballroom attire when attending the band’s upcoming series of stadium shows. And it’s also why Arcade Fire should not have been surprised when fans reacted negatively online, picking the band apart for its somewhat silly request.
So now, Arcade Fire has descended from on high to sear another missive into our minds in order to allay our panic and disappointment: “Please relax.”
Yes, Arcade Fire would like us to relax, and not take the request so seriously:
To everyone really upset about us asking people to dress up at our shows… please relax. It’s super not mandatory. It just makes for a more fun carnival when we are all in it together. So far these have been the best shows we have ever played.
See you soon.
Love,
Arcade Fire
What do you think of Arcade Fire’s comments?
Source: Pitchfork