Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)

The Arcade Fire's triumphant Funeral tour was unquestionably the indie rock event of the winter of 2005 -- their impassioned, energetic live sets made the endlessly acclaimed album seem quaint and two-dimensional by comparison. For proof check out this handsomely packaged 7" single, headlined by a live rendition of "Neighborhood #3 -- Power Out" taped at a January 2005 appearance at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall: the performance lays to waste the original vinyl rendition, achieving a majesty virtually impossible to capture in the studio. Equally noteworthy is the flip side, a cover of the Talking Heads classic "This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)" featuring David Byrne himself on vocals -- talk about your stamp of approval.