when someone great is gone

RIP LCD Soundsystem

I don't know that I've ever been to a concert where it was so clear that every person attending really wanted to be there. The show was long and after a while I was running on adrenaline as I let every song pick me up again. I felt like I needed a five hour energy at the end of the 45:33 run, but then "Us V Them" totally revived me. There had been a lot of speculation about who might come and join them throughout this final show, most of all a hope that Daft Punk would suddenly appear during (of course) "Daft Punk is Playing at My House". While that didn't happen (and for a minute during "Losing My Edge" I had those hopes both revived and squashed again), the people who actually did make appearances were their real friends. It brought a new level to if I could see all my friends tonight. Members of Arcade Fire showing up to sing backup on North American Scum was amazing - their tour together a few years back was the first and only other time I had seen LCD Soundsystem. It was a reference that seemed to mean a lot to all of them, and was also hit me on a personal level.

I sat wayyyy in the back, but it was less about seeing every facial gesture of James Murphy & co, and more about the spirit. And you know, I was there. The "seated" sections rocked out like it was the pit (with slightly less jumping - only so much room, ya know?) The only live performance ever of Bye Bye Bayou? Yes please. Ending the show in a cascade of white balloons to "New York, I Love You (But You're Bringing Me Down)", catering perfectly to the hometown crowd. It was beautiful and sad, even though James Murphy wanted everyone to be pumped up for their last song and not mourn it before it even happened.

LCD Soundsystem is gone, with a bang, but not forgotten.

 the set

 A sea of people decked out in black and white, as requested

 Arcade Fire! blurry! on the jumbotron!

North American Scum!

and if you look really carefully on the left side, you can see Arcade Fire

And of course, there are a million links out there to the entire Pitchfork stream, or chunks of that, but it's almost weird watching that because it's a totally different view than what I had.

As a footnote, I was totally in love with everyone decked out in black and white. Loads of ties and suspenders, and generally people looked top notch. Including Donald Glover (love!!!) who we met in the lobby before the show, which pretty much sealed the deal on this night being amazing before it had even started. Super nice guy, and I love that he didn't go for the solid black tie like all the other guys.