Arcade Fire’s Agent Responds To Dress Code Hoopla

When Arcade Fire played a handful of gigs at intimate venues under the pseudonym The Reflektors to celebrate October’s album release, attendees were also asked to take on another identity of sorts by wearing formal attire or costumes. A tweet from the band noted that “formal wear = suit, dress or fancy something …”

Now that the band has announced dates for its 2014 North American tour some fans were surprised to find that the Canadian indie rock band is still encouraging ticketholders to don their fanciest duds.  

Slate writes, “For most of us, formal attire is reserved for weddings or special nights out. Trying to force otherwise ordinary rock shows into the special category strikes me as presumptuous – an attempt to reinforce the band’s status as capital-A Artists.”

But unlike some of The Reflektors gigs, in which Arcade Fire’s Twitter page reminded fans that the dress code was “MANDATORY,” the special note on Ticketmaster.com for the 2014 tour says, “NIGHT OF SHOW: Please wear formal attire or costume.”

So, don’t worry – nobody is forcing you to do anything! It’s just a little suggestion. And Arcade Fire said “please,” so at least they get points for being polite. When you go to a costume party the assumption is that you’ll arrive in a costume, but there’s always the option to be the odd-man out and not participate. If dressing up is so “not you” or if you’re totally opposed to costumes or you just hate fun, then just don’t dress up. 

Arcade Fire’s agent David Viecelli of The Billions Corporation told Pollstar that venues won’t be stopping non-formal tickerholders from attending the 2014 shows.   

“No, of course not,” Viecelli said. “It’s just a request, it’s just something that carried over from some of the small shows they were doing before the record came out where … a lot of people turned out in costume and it really made the event special so they just kind of wanted to continue it. Like, how can we make it a little bit more unusual or a little bit more fun to be in an arena for a rock show?

“So, no – it’s certainly not a requirement, never meant that way at all. They just think everybody will have a whole lot more fun, and so will they, if people dress up.”

I love what Toronto’s NOW magazine wrote in defense of Arcade Fire’s dress code: “Besides, don’t we put on a costume every single time we go to a show, anyhow? Every time you put on your bucket hat for a Joey Bada$$ show, or a rainbow of neon for an EDM fest, or a slouchy toque with a tank top for the Weeknd, or a mandarin-collared shirt buttoned right to your adam’s apple for this, or a destroyed denim vest for that, you’re dressing up to play the part of engaged, part-of-the-club fan, trying to assert your specialness and ultimately ending up in a sea of same-looking people.”

There you go – you can either wear your indie rock costume of “trying to look cool without looking like you care” or you can wear formal attire or a costume. Up to you.