Stage: Main stage, Reading
Time: Saturday, 7.45pm
Dress code: Braces, both to hold up singer Win Butler's trousers and to straighten the teeth of the few teenagers in the crowd who haven't staggered off to see Battles or the Twang.
In summary: Everything you expect from the Montreal raggle-taggle: portentous drums, wailing violins, haunted expressions and the best wordless choruses in the business. And, of course, a hurdy-gurdy. They play all the best songs from their two albums, saving the wondrous Neighbourhood #1 for the moment the sun disappears beneath the Berkshire skyline. Everyone leaves singing "Uh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh..."
Highlight: Butler's hurdy-gurdy/xylophone/drum-playing wife Régine Chassagne isn't always allotted a solo turn. But tonight, dressed in a short red dress and white majorette boots, she gives her husband a run for his money on Haiti, whipping a towel on the ground in time to the music.
Better than: Everything else so far apart from Bloc Party
Worse than: Bloc Party's set. Arcade Fire put in a great show, but it's free of surprises.
What they'll be doing this time next year: More of the same. They won't have moved up the bill because they do sunset so well.
Mark out of ten: 8
