Over the last few months, via the musical grapevine, the band Fanfarlo has kept reappearing on my radar. But it wasn’t until visiting the UK in October that I actually heard them for the first time. I was able to catch them at the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds, where I was initially only there to catch opening act First Aid Kit. After settling on the fact that I could walk away completely satisfied after their set, Fanfarlo took the stage. While on record they sound a bit harnessed and calculated, their live show illuminates their talent enthusiastically. Created by ex-Swede Simon Balthazar, the six-piece band is based out of London and has been actively touring Europe and the US on their debut record Resevoir throughout 2009. They also just played CMJ and have again been added to the SXSW 2010 roster.

Balthazar sings with a sweet and bold voice (similar to that of Beirut’s Zach Condon) and is backed by an amazing group who each play multiple instruments to form a big full sound, reminding me of the Arcade Fire. Have a listen, but more importantly, check out some live footage.

Fanfarlo has recently been recording a number of “Laptop Sessions” where they perform covers. You can find those here, as well as some music videos.

The first time I saw Times New Viking was when they opened for The Arcade Fire at Little Brother’s. AF was just starting to get some attention, and the show was probably only 50% full.

Full track listing, courtesy of Pitchfork. The album comes out April 7.

01 Quasi: “Beautiful Things” (3Ds cover)
02 Les Savy Fav: “Precision Auto” (Superchunk cover)
03 The Shins: “Plenty Is Never Enough” (Tenement Halls cover)
04 St. Vincent and the National: “Sleep All Summer” (Crooked Fingers cover)
05 Broken Social Scene: “Complications” (The Clean cover)
06 Ryan Adams: “Like a Fool” (Superchunk cover)
07 Bright Eyes: “Papa Was a Rodeo” (Magnetic Fields cover)
08 Lavender Diamond: “New Ways of Living” (Destroyer cover)
09 The Apples in Stereo: “King of Carrot Flowers Pt. 3″ (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)
10 Laura Cantrell: “Cowboy on the Moon” (Lambchop cover)
11 Bill Callahan: “Santa Maria” (Versus cover)
12 Barbara Manning: “Through With People” (Portastatic cover)
13 The Mountain Goats: “Drug Life” (East River Pipe cover)
14 The New Pornographers: “Don’t Destroy This Night” (Rock*A*Teens cover)
15 Tracey Thorn and Jens Lekman: “Yeah! Oh, Yeah!” (Magnetic Fields cover)
16 The Hive Dwellers: “My Noise” (Superchunk cover)
17 Ted Leo & the Pharmacists: “The Numbered Head” (Robert Pollard cover)
18 Okkervil River: “All You Little Suckers” (East River Pipe cover)
19 Death Cab for Cutie: “Kicked In” (Superchunk cover)
20 Times New Viking: “Neighborhood #1″ (Arcade Fire cover)

This was Arcade Fire’s second visit to Columbus. The first time they were in town was right as their first album came out, and the buzz was there but still pretty low. There might have been 100 people there. Times New Viking opened. It was a great show.

This time around, the crowd was a lot bigger. Playing to what seemed like a sold out crowd outdoors at The LC, it was obvious that Arcade Fire has transformed into a Big Deal. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them at a larger venue next time they’re in Columbus, which won’t be for a few years (according to the band, at least).

Discussion of the show going on in our message board. Here’s Arcade Fire’s Columbus set list, courtesy arcadefire.net:

Black Mirror
Keep the Car Running
Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
No Cars Go
Haiti
I’m Sleeping In A Submarine
Ocean of Noise
Cold Wind
Intervention
(Antichrist Television Blues)
The Well and the Lighthouse
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Rebellion (Lies)
——————–
Headlights Look Like Diamonds
Wake Up

We got there at 8:30PM, just as LCD Soundsystem was playing their last song. I couldn’t get their any earlier, and appreciate an early start time, but this seemed a little too early. Then again, we’re always complaining about start times for shows so pay no attention to my comment. Heh.