Little City

So maybe I was a little late on purpose. As a music lover without much to offer beyond playing chopsticks – an all out 35 plus band jam session to the entirety of one of your favorite albums (Funeral by the Arcade Fire) is more than intimidating. I walked in the door’s of Knox Presbyterian Church on Spadina approximately 2.5 minutes late. Late enough to hear that Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) has just started.

I wanted to run.

I wanted to run up the stairs, because it sounded – So. Good.

Up the stairs and into the heat, into a fantastic scene, 40 or so Arcade Fire lovers gathered in a circle playing their little hearts out. It felt like maybe we were really a big family band like the VonTraps, only with more skinny jeans.

Being the shy reserved type naturally, I jumped up the mic with one Ms. Lisa Devries and began to sing my little heart out. I think that is really what it was all about. All of us singing, playing, shouting, clapping, or audio mixing our little hearts out. Neighborhood #1 became Neighborhood #2 and before we knew it we were making our way through Une Année sans Lumière. Each song was led by The Royal Family who had practiced and planned (thankfully) because they carried us through the awkward beginning parts when no one was really sure when to start the song, or when to come in. It made an amateur like me feel a little bit more like an actual musician.

By the time we rolled into Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) we were into it. Accordions flaring, tandem clarinets chirping, glockenspiels, glocking? And I was thinking, we HAVE to do this again.

At some point people were dancing in the middle of the circle, and guitarist Ben’s mom was pounding away at the organ – and then – it was over. Neighborhood # 1 all the way to In the Backseat. (and a second round of Wake Up at the end, out of absolute necessity)

It was kind of magical in a non-cheesy way. Like something you see in movies when people just decided to do something because it seems like a good idea, add a little Hollywood sparkle and before you know it that rag tag bunch suddenly becomes a sensation, except this was real life. No Hollywood sparkle, just people, instruments, no air conditioning, and a bit of guts.

Best. Funeral. Ever.

Written by special contributor Melissa Graham Burke
Photos by John Mani (Little City!)