The Arcade Fire and David Bowie, Together At Last

The Arcade Fire are on a roll. They’re opening for U2 on their current tour — though sadly not in Omaha, we’ll be getting Kanye West — and their praises have been sung by none other than the Thin White Duke himself, David Bowie. And to prove his love, Bowie had the Fire join him onstage at the recent “Fashion Rocks” event.

A live EP featuring a couple of their joint performances has just been released for download via the iTunes Music Store. The EP features 3 songs: “Life On Mars,” “Wake Up,” and “Five Years.” From the sound of things, the Arcade Fire was essentially Bowie’s backing band, as Bowie takes the lead on all three songs with his distinctively dramatic vocals.

But no matter, all three songs are strong. Furthermore, it’s simply amazing how much punch “Wake Up” still packs, even after all this time. I still get chills every time those bass chords begin ringing out, and when all of the vocals come careening in, it feels like the roof is going to explode.

You can download the entire EP for $3, with all proceeds going to help Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. Good music and a good cause… what more can you ask for?