_Funeral_ at 10: That Time Arcade Fire Played _Letterman_

Rob Slater on September 12, 2014

On September 14, Arcade Fire’s stunning debut Funeral hits the decade mark. Hard to believe, as the material still maintains it’s shine. Currently, the band is slaying arenas and giant, open fields all over the world, but in 2004 they were just a ragtag group of musicians combining their unique talents to create one of the most captivating, infectious sounds ever put down on a recording.

It’s true, Funeral is one of the most triumphant debut records ever and cemented Arcade Fire as immediate indie-darlings, landing them on every “next big thing” list across the blogosphere. The “Neighborhood” series still holds strong today while “Rebellion (Lies)” and “Wake Up” remain two of their largest live staples. Despite the high expectations placed on acts that already established themselves in the live setting (which Arcade Fire had), Funeral came as close as one could to exceeding those. And that, in this day and age, is a damn fine accomplishment.

To celebrate the tenth anniversary of this wonderful album, revisit a mesmerizing performance by Arcade Fire on Late Show with David Letterman where they deliver a stirring version of “Rebellion (Lies).” Oh, and you should also listen to it as well. Everyday.