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QuestionAnyone else hate the purgatory we're in re. AF's future? (self.arcadefire)

submitted by the-boxmanNeon Bible

A couple of festivals booked this year and that's about it. I get laying low considering what transpired last year, but dammit I do want this band back. Usually they're on tour for ages, and considering the especially long hiatus between projects we just had, it's even worse. Even more so, WE is a sprite 7 songs, so I'm just craving more infinite_content.

I'm not sure we can expect another album so soon or perhaps another tour, but I'd love if they released a deluxe WE with a few songs that didn't make the cut. Maybe even an extended tracklist that fills out both sides and bumps the album up to a cool 50 minutes. Not that WE isn't great as it is, I just wish there was more, and not knowing where the group's heads are at regarding their future together makes it even worse.

Get the small violins out.

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[–]manofwar26 36 points37 points  (4 children)

I think if the band were truly finished they wouldn't be bothering with the festivals. The We tour itself would have been very hard financially to back out of, but a handful of festivals? Nah, they obviously want to do them. So I think they're gonna keep going but the imminent expiry of their record contract is the bigger obstacle imo. If Sony don't renew, will there be other offers? They're like a hot potato and nobody wants to touch them atm, but in a year that might very well change with the dust settling on all this.

I do hope they come back too. I don't feel the whole band deserves to suffer because of Win's issues.

[–]baccus83 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I can honestly see them going back to Merge.

[–]rfamico 5 points6 points  (0 children)

It is, but I suspect they won’t even worry about getting a new deal until they’re ready to release a record (how things played out with EN), at which point who knows what the temperature in the room will be. They’re basically self-produced/have their own studio(s) and equipment so they can get pretty far along in the recording without needing a label to pick up the costs

[–]blackypotter 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I mean, their contract with Sony is purely for digital distribution on streaming platforms. Sony distributes their albums but their own label Sonovox has been the real label for Physical products for years. They could eaaaaasily release their albums on their own label.

[–]MuseofMike 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed!

[–]Glittering-Owl22 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I don't think they're finished, but the continued radio silence is getting to me, too. Maybe they will be able to get booked for more festivals this year, but I don't have much hope there, to be honest. These are hard times to be a dedicated AF fan. I'm looking for signs of life, so to say, be it new music or tour dates. Anything, please?!

[–]cosmicsugarstar 9 points10 points  (1 child)

I would love additional music and it is a bummer that there doesn't seem to be a summer tour. Isn't their contract with Columbia up?

[–]MuseofMike 59 points60 points  (3 children)

Honestly not really. I think the band could benefit from a hiatus. Some folks like myself lost a sense of fandom over the allegations. It really took the air out of “We” for me. And that really makes me sad because I have a few framed set lists and once considered AF to be the best band in the world. I’m hoping in time the magic will return for me but I think some time apart would be great.

[–]HappygingerSprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains) 21 points22 points  (0 children)

totally agree. i don’t want them to go away forever per se but damn it totally altered my view on them as a collective. really took the wind out of my sails. i wouldn’t hate seeing win take some time to get some perspective. music isn’t just about the money and ticket sales, you know?

[–]the-boxmanNeon Bible[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I also understand this perspective, because I know I'll never have the same relationship with the band. Maybe a longer hiatus is for the better.

[–]talisrIntervention 7 points8 points  (2 children)

im still sad they’ve ignored south america.. they never forgot us before :(

[–]Big_Ad_1457 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I’d see them in South America in a heartbeat. Fans there always go hard.

[–]slrrpThe Suburbs 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Hell they didn’t even bother coming to middle America.

[–]lampshade732 6 points7 points  (1 child)

Would really love to see a smaller Canadian/US tour. Dying to see them again.

[–]gh0stmothsSuburban War 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Same here, my first time seeing them even as a long time fan was in November last year; I’d be so sad if that was the first and last time, they put on a phenomenal show

[–]memwallNeon Bible 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I am so with you. Haaaaaate the purgatory. Ive been meaning to ask folks on here who are plugged into the festival scene (I am not) - Have all the major summer festivals announced their lineups by now? I’m not familiar with their timelines. Are we pretty sure they will just be playing Cala Mijas and Meo Kaorama? And maybe that venue in Sicily in August that used to have AF on its website but hasn’t been officially announced yet?

[–]zackandcodyfanNo Cars Go 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Arcade Fire will continue, I am 100% confident about that. The band members clearly still feel a great amount of passion for making music and performing, and they still have a lot of fans across the world who support them. We shouldn't attach to much weight to social media drama and attention-seeking music journalists when literally everything points to the band wanting to continue. The fire will not burn out for a long time. As Win and Régine sang: "It's never over!"

[–]memwallNeon Bible 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I just made a personal AF b-sides/rarities playlist for myself today because I’ve listened to all the regular stuff so much I’m running out of infinite content.

[–]DarknessofWhite 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Will you share the playlist?

[–]StacyMoo83Creature Comfort 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm same, wondering every day what's happening ot if they are ever coming back 😭

I have to admit, if I'm going on gut feeling, I think they will be back. In a couple of years , when the dust has settled and its not such big news anymore. 🙏

[–]Rtstevie 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Um I feel like they did a pretty damn comprehensive and big tour for most of 2022. Especially considering touring is getting really expensive for a lot of bands. I mean they played big jam packed venues night after night.

They’ve always been really quiet in between albums and tours. I would say they are pretty consistently a band of an album every 4 years, pretty on the dot. Album, followed by tour. Between that, they are always very quiet, aside from the sparse comments that comes out from one of them about working on new music or whatever prominent producer they’ve brought in for their next album.

[–]Dream_in_Cerulean 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think they had plans for 2022 that are now pushed to 2023. At least, that is my interpretation.

[–]_blankbank 1 point2 points  (5 children)

What are the festivals they are playing this year?

[–]Downtown_Home_6592 1 point2 points  (4 children)

Check out the AF site: in August there’s one in Portugal, one in Spain

[–]_blankbank 1 point2 points  (3 children)

I did see that, but they are the same exact dates. Very strange. I was hoping there was another one or two a bit closer to NYC

[–]Downtown_Home_6592 0 points1 point  (2 children)

My guess is that they will be playing different days (both venues have a std festival spread of days, 31st Aug-2nd Sept); note AF is the headliner, and that Florence + The Machine is also listed as playing both festivals … I’m going to Portugal … saw them many years back there, best concert I’ve seen, amazing crowd

[–]gh0stmothsSuburban War 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Florence and Arcade Fire is such a killer lineup

[–]_blankbank 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ahh makes sense. Thanks!

[–]VizualMadman_ 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Don't think the focus will be on WE...that whole cycle seems tainted now. They'll likely ride out 2023 with a few festivals here and there most likely in Europe and S. America and get paid. I think we can rest assured that the group is not done, they will not pass up the financial upside of marking the 20th anniversary of Funeral in 2024. They are notorious at documenting everything from almost day 1, they must have a wealth of archival material to pull from, one could imagine a documentary, "deluxe edition" reissue with alt versions, b-sides, tour videos from that era when they permeated the zeitgeist. Not to mention media will likely not focus on Win's past transgressions once they announce a Funeral front to back + greatest hits type tour, rather speak on this incredible album that captured everyone's attention. It's far from over...just need some time to let the dust settle. Purify the colors, purify my mind.

[–]the-boxmanNeon Bible[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I didn't even think of that. They have filmed practically everything they've ever done.

[–]jjazznola 2 points3 points  (4 children)

I thought they had another album in the can? To my ears We was the sound of a band who has musically run out of ideas. I hope they prove me wrong but each album just seems weaker than the last.

[–]ACardAttackRebellion (Lies) 8 points9 points  (1 child)

We was the sound of a band who has musically run out of ideas.

To me it felt more like a Win and Regine album and not an arcade fire album and it makes sense given it was written during covid

[–]jjazznola 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah, I agree and said the same when I first heard it.

[–]the-boxmanNeon Bible[S] 7 points8 points  (1 child)

I think they do, but it's not entirely finished and they're not sure they want to release it when it is.

WE has tonnes of ideas, it's so spacious and ambient. But I want them to have a fuller sound next time with more bombast.

[–]jjazznola 0 points1 point  (0 children)

WE just musically sounds like bits from other albums of theirs.