Arcade Fire in concert in Paris, as if nothing had been

The Canadian group was, on September 15, at Accor Arena, while singer Win Butler is accused of sexual assault and inappropriate behavior with fans between 2015 and 2020.

by

From his first album, Funeral, in 2004, the Montreal group Arcade Fire has established itself as one of the main forces from independent rock, by meeting the adhesion of the public as that of criticism. The new tour accompanying the publication of its sixth opus, We, hailed for its cosmic ambitions, was to be that of a triumphant return to European rooms where the training had not occurred since the summer of 2018. By favoring the arenas , with gauges around 10,000 seats. Like the Accor Arena of Paris, Thursday September 15.

Everything was going well until the publication, Saturday August 27, on the American musical site Pitchfork , of an article questioning the behavior of the singer and Win Butler songwriter with fans between 2015 and 2020. Four testimonies were collected, the most overwhelming on a sexual assault, which the musician categorically disputes. It was not specified if complaints had been filed, but the head of the Liberal Party of Quebec, Dominique Anglade, invited the people quoted anonymous to do so officially.

Now, it turns out that this political personality is a friend of Régine Chassagne, Win Butler’s wife and musical partner. The two women, whose parents are from Haiti, created the Kanpe Foundation to mobilize the diaspora in favor of the Caribbean country. The Canadian radio network CBC Music has announced, for its part, suspend the programming of Arcade Fire songs.

Faced with accusations, Win Butler confirmed that he had relations with these fans, saying that they were granted. He also apologized “for those who [he] injured by [his] attitude” and Régine Chassagne provided him with his support. These reactions did not obviously convince another Canadian singer, Feist, who was invited to perform the first part of the European Arcade Fire tour. After the first two dates in Dublin, she ended her participation, by transferring merchandising sales to an association fighting against domestic violence. The Californian musician Beck is still planned at the opening of the American tour of Arcade Fire, which is to start at the end of October.

two hours of show

Within the group, which counts on the scene up to nine instrumentalists, including a second woman, violinist Sarah Neufeld, no defection has been recorded. Fans have expressed their discomfort on social networks, but no demonstration of it was made publicly in front of the Aitor Arena. The only messages brandished on site concerned the traditional requests for tickets for sale or to buy. If the concert did not display complete, the pit was filled after a first aid part provided by the Haitian group Boukman Eksperyans.

You have 28.54% of this article to read. The continuation is reserved for subscribers.

/Media reports.