Arcade Fire closing out Summerfest July 8
On June 20, 2004, cozy Riverwest club Mad Planet hosted a show with a little-known Canadian band called Arcade Fire.
That September, the band released its first full-length album, “Funeral,” and returned to Mad Planet two months later.
The exuberant “Funeral” became a classic — the greatest album of the early aughts, according to Rolling Stone. And Arcade Fire became one of the most celebrated indie rock bands of its generation, winning the Album of the Year Grammy for “The Suburbs” in 2011, and earning a devoted admirer in David Bowie, who made a cameo on double album “Reflektor.”
As Arcade Fire headlined arenas and major festivals around the world, it never made it back to Milwaukee. But the dry spell ends July 8.
The band will headline the American Family Insurance Amphitheater for Summerfest’s closing night.
The show comes a year after the release of the band’s fifth album, “Everything Now.” The most critically divisive release in Arcade Fire’s career, “Now” nevertheless netted Arcade Fire its fifth consecutive Best Alternative Album Grammy nomination, and its first-ever No. 1 single, with the Adult Alternative Airplay chart-topping title track.
Tickets are available beginning at noon March 9 at the Summerfest box office (200 N. Harbor Drive); by calling (800) 745-3000 or (866) 448-7849; or visiting ticketmaster.com. Prices have yet to be announced, but tickets will include Summerfest general admission July 8. An opening act has yet to be announced.
All but one American Family Insurance Amphitheater show has been announced for Summerfest this year.
The lineup includes: Imagine Dragons with Grace VandeerWaal (June 27); James Taylor with Bonnie Raitt (June 28); Halsey and Logic (June 29); Florida Georgia Line with Bebe Rexha (June 30); Dave Matthews Band (July 1); J. Cole (July 3); Def Leppard and Journey (July 4); Shawn Mendes (July 5); and Blake Shelton (July 6).
Tickets for Shelton and J. Cole are available Saturday. Tickets are available for the other seven amphitheater shows.
Summerfest runs June 27 to July 1 and July 3 to 8.
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