TODAY’S WISH I WAS THERE MOMENT: Arcade Fire Play Free Gig to Obama Staffers

Yesterday afternoon, Arcade Fire played a free show for Obama campaign staffers at the DC Armory. All the Prez’s campaigners were treated to AF and then a performance by rapper Jay-Z.

Pitchfork concisely explains why the Obama staffers deserve it:

If you worked on President Barack Obama’s campaign staff, you spent months grinding hard against serious odds. Maybe you had to endure racial epithets in rural Ohio or outright threats in Northern Florida. You probably had a two-week heart attack when McCain added Palin to the ticket and the polls temporarily turned around. You also earned the undying thanks of millions of people and helped lay a historic milestone that most of us never thought we’d live to see. And now you’re getting a private show from two of the best live acts in the world. Safe to say: You deserve this

NY Times “The Caucus” goes on to explain:

“Members of the large and sprawling group, which includes members from Canada and the United States, turned it out for Mr. Obama during his presidential campaign, showing up in some rather out-of-the-way places — think the tiny Stuart’s Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio – to help with voter-registration and get-out-the-vote efforts by Mr. Obama among college students. Some of the best shows of the year.”

Arcade Fire have been avid supporters of Obama since day one. But why do the Canadian care so much? After all, how many Americans care about, or even follow, Canadian politics?

At the free show they even played a rendition of Bruce’s “Born in the USA?”! As SNL’s Seth Myers would say: Reeeeeeally?!

As an American, there’s hope for me. Maybe I can now get involved in Canadian politics. YES WE CAN! (;

But I think Arcade Fire’s Will Butler explained their political support well-enough in one sentence on his online journal: “We are about 3 steps removed from WWII.”

Here’s the setlist, as posted on brooklynvegan

Arcade Fire Setlist:
Wake Up
Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
Intervention
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
No Cars Go
Haiti
Keep the Car Running
Born in the USA (Bruce Springsteen Cover)
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Rebellion (Lies)

And you gotta see the photos taken by Bao Nguyen for brooklynvegan. Go there by clicking here. They are GREAT. Here’s a sample below:

Now I’ll just wait for the Obama Staff Ball video to appear on YouTube.

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