By Meghan Roberts
Apparently Olio wasn’t enough for me, as I headed out to two more shows this Monday and Tuesday. Indie pop rockers Matt and Kim tore up the Rickshaw on Monday, while Arcade Fire brought people out in hordes to the Pacific Coliseum Tuesday. Both concerts were totally awesome, if for completely different reasons.

A two person show, Matt and Kim’s consistent energy in the Rickshaw’s oppressive heat was beyond impressive. Using nineties hits and other random tidbits to transition between songs, these two never missed a beat. The band was constantly interacting with the audience. At one point, Kim got down and dirty to Major Lazer as the crowd carried her by her feet. The show was non-stop dancing, crowd surfing, and crazy partying that left me satisfied, albeit smelling like Coachella on day three.

Arcade Fire offered a similar level of passion, but with a different approach. It was like watching a three ring circus; there was always something drawing the eye and no one ever stopped moving. These people are so talented it makes your head spin. Almost every band member sang and played multiple instruments, allowing each member to showcase their abilities to the fullest. The crowd was a little more laid back, but it lit up during Intervention and Wake Up, and the buzz was palpable long after the last encore.

I’m super glad I was able to see the shows back to back. The simplicity of Matt and Kim played nicely against the complexity of Arcade Fire and vice versa. Ultimately the contrast allowed me to appreciate what I liked about each band in the first place, and enjoy the concerts that much more.