The Arcade Fire Byrnes

On Sunday I was treated to a fantastic concert experience. Literally treated: It was the first installment of my 40th birthday present from my wife.

For my birthday, Amy gave me a subscription to the World Music programs playing at the Hollywood Bowl this summer http://www.kcrw.org/music/worldfestival/-- with terrace-level boxes, no less. This Sunday was the first concert in the series, just two nights after the Bowl's season kicked off.

The box was a delightful luxury. My past experiences with the Bowl had been confined to the hard benches near the back of the bowl that grow increasingly uncomfortable as the night wears on and the air grows colder. The box, on the other hand, features moveable (and quite comfortable) canvas chairs and tables that fold out from either side. The two men who shared the box with us were just finishing their dinner when we showed up, a half-hour before the 7 pm showtime. We spread a tablecloth on our table, and hauled out Amy's baked chicken, cantaloupe, cheese, and a bottle of Coppola Sauvignon Blanc. As the concert began, we gradually drained the bottle. That, my friend, is the way to enjoy a concert.

The first act on the bill was a band from New York called Si*Se (http://luakabop.com/sise/index.html'). They set a relaxed yet eclectic pace for the night with a shimmering summer samba sound, mixed with rock guitar and a silky-voiced lead vocalist reminiscent of Sade (albeit with Latin overtones).

Next was The Arcade Fire (http://www.mergerecords.com/band.php?band_id=98&), an arty rock band from Montreal that's getting increased radio play on "alternative" stations. They fielded a huge number of players, including a lady who alternately played the viola and the accordian, and two drummers/percussionists who ended up attacking each other and other band members with their drumsticks (while keeping the beat). The lead singer sounded occasionally like Robert Smith, and on other occasions like David Byrne. Which was appropriate because . . . .

The final act was David Byrne (http://www.davidbyrne.com/)himself! He's become somewhat of a gray eminence since his Talking Heads days, but he can still do whatever he did with his voice back then; he can still do that herky-jerky white art student dance like no one else; and he still puts on a great show. He started with several pieces from his solo albums, but then slid into such great Talking Heads standards as "Road to Nowhere," "Psycho Killer," "This Must Be the Place" (sung with Arcade Fire); and, most memorably, a finale of "Burning Down the House," performed with the Extra Action Marching Band from San Francisco, and featuring cheerleaders (of both sexes) in g-strings and platinum wigs swinging pom-poms on the catwalk around the orchestra boxes. Dang.

The next concert is in July. No David Byrne -- in fact, no performers I'm familiar with -- but it'll be an adventure. And that's what a good concert should be.