Arcade Fire @ Corn Exchange, Edinburgh, 8 Jun

An imposing square stage lies in the centre of the Edinburgh Corn Exchange, commanding attention as onlookers of all ages surround it on every side feverishly discussing its purpose over pints. They needn’t wait long for an answer, as within moments of Arcade Fire taking the stage it’s clear it is the only setup capable of accommodating every member of the Canadian septet, and their hefty slew of instruments. The group perform an acoustic rendition of Funeral standout Wake Up as they climb the steps onstage, while the crowd chant along with lead vocalist Win Butler’s affective crooning. It’s a fittingly subdued start to what was billed as an intimate set.

Then the band erupts into their new ABBA-tinged single Everything Now, flinging any pretence of intimacy out the door. The opener is an effectively stirring arrangement of an old fan-favourite but it’s in this bouncy symphony that the band shines, an electrifying coalescence of strings, keys, and percussion. It’s the kind of anthemic performance you expect at festivals, an extraordinary melting pot of timbres and tones. Reviving classics not performed in years and debuting brand new tracks live for the first time, the evening is a stunning celebration of Arcade Fire’s past, present and future.

The seven-piece rotate around the 360° stage freely between songs in an absurd display of talent, swapping instruments with ease in a bona fide round of musical chairs. Clambering over xylophones and keytars, cowbells and congas, Arcade Fire rest comfortably in the manic. Midway through the set, Butler confesses to the audience that "it doesn’t get better than this for us". The joy is palpable, and it’s echoed in the group’s rapport with their fans. Whether they're climbing on top of speakers to get a better view, or calling out to the audience to turn on the flashes of their phones for a (literally) dazzling performance of Reflektor, the evening is a fruitful exercise in the mantra of more is more.

The music hits harder, too. Dystopian tales from Neon Bible carry uncomfortable burden in these unsettling times, and Butler doesn’t shy away from the implication. He addresses the album’s title track to the President of the United States, and for the first time a more foreboding ambiance seeps into the set, as his haunting vocals fade into the forlorn strings of Suburban War.

It’s short-lived, though, and before long guitarist Richard Reed Perry commands the room to "go fucking mental" as both the band and crowd bounce off the walls to synth-drenched closer Sprawl II (Mountains Beyond Mountains). Arcade Fire are the band we need right now. And right now they’re telling us to dance.