Arcade Fire.

Sometimes you get lucky when you buy records at live shows... not only are you supporting the band but on occasion you come across some of the most sought after 7" records of your generation... this generally happens in small venues... well before the band makes it big... back on June 23, 2004 a band was making waves as the next big thing... and a bidding war took place between indie labels Paper Bag, Alien-8 and Merge... Merge eventually being the victor... I jumped at the chance to see what everyone was talking about... at first a friend and I stood outside Lee's Palace in Toronto waiting in line to get our hands stamped before heading out to pre-drink at a house party before the show... it turned out the wait was too long for her and she left me standing there alone... five minutes later the line started moving and I got my stamp in exchange for a $8 cover... that night I witnessed the Arcade Fire play their yet to be released album Funeral from start to finish along with only a few hundred other people... right after the show like always I went straight for the merch table and bought a split 7" and their self titled EP... that Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) and the other track a b-side by Butler’s grandfather... the late pedal steel legend Alvino Rey... and limited to 1500 copies... I paid $5 for the record... and with Arcade Fire being up for several Grammy nominations in 2010... that 45 alone goes for over $300 on ebay... this is why you always support the artist.