Today, Arcade Fire launched “The Wilderness Downtown,” an interactive film featuring “We Used to Wait” from their new album, The Suburbs.

Taking its name from a lyric from the aforementioned song–“so when the lights cut out, I was lost, standing in the wilderness downtown”–“The Wilderness Downtown” exemplifies the Google “Chrome Experience” and HTML5 technology, cueing the opening of multiple browser windows, visually incorporating viewers’ childhood addresses (if they are available via Google Street View), allowing the viewers to write and share messages to their younger selves and more.

“The Wilderness Downtown,” an interactive film by Chris Milk featuring “We Used To Wait” from Arcade Fire’s new album The Suburbs can be experienced now at http://thewildernessdowntown.com/. Order The Suburbs on CD, dbl-LP, and digital download now in the Merge store.

Back in the physical world, Arcade Fire’s October 7 and 8 shows at Los Angeles’ Shrine Auditorium have sold out completely, with all of the approximately 12,000 tickets going  within hours of on sale. Popular demand has also necessitated the adding of a second show at the Greek Theater in Berkeley CA, where the band will now perform October 2 and 3.

ARCADE FIRE ON TOUR FALL 2010:
9/22  St. Paul, MN   Roy Wilkins Arena
9/23  Winnipeg, MB   MTS Centre
9/25  Saskatoon, SK   Credit Union Centre
9/26  Calgary, AB   Stampede Corral * SOLD OUT
9/28  Vancouver, BC   Pacific Coliseum  * SOLD OUT
9/29  Seattle, WA   Key Arena
9/30  Portland, OR   Memorial Coliseum
10/2  Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre * SOLD OUT
10/3  Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre
10/5  Big Sur, CA   Henry Miller Library * SOLD OUT
10/7  Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium   * SOLD OUT
10/8 Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium   * SOLD OUT
10/10  Mexico City (MX)   Palacio de los Deportes
10/12  Monterrey (MX)   Banamex Theater

In the wake of The Suburbs’ #1 chart debut, Arcade Fire has confirmed another leg of dates stretching from Minnesota to Mexico.

The next installation of North American dates will begin September 22 at the Roy Wilkins Arena in St. Paul MN, swinging through western Canada, the pacific northwestern U.S., and California before concluding October 12 at Monterrey, Mexico’s Banamex Theater.

The September-October shows will follow a current run of dates including a recent two-night stand at New York’s Madison Square Garden, a headline set at Lollapalooza and an upcoming August 14 headline at Toronto’s Olympic Island. Following that and prior to the band’s return to North America, Arcade Fire will make a select number of UK and European appearances, including headline stands at the Reading and Leeds festivals in the UK.

Arcade Fire on tour:
8/14 Toronto, ON – Olympic Island
8/27 Leeds, UK – Leeds Festival
8/28 Reading, UK – Reading Festival
8/29 Saint Cloud, France – Rock En Seine
9/2 Bologna, Italy – I-Day Festival
9/22   St. Paul, MN   Roy Wilkins Arena
9/23   Winnipeg, MB   MTS Centre
9/25   Saskatoon, SK   Credit Union Centre
9/26   Calgary, AB   Stampede Corral
9/28   Vancouver, BC   Pacific Coliseum
9/29   Seattle, WA   Key Arena
9/30   Portland, OR   Memorial Coliseum
10/2   Berkeley, CA   Greek Theatre
10/5   Big Sur, CA   Henry Miller Library
10/7   Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium
10/8  Los Angeles, CA   Shrine Auditorium
10/10   Mexico City (MX)   Palacio de los Deportes
10/12   Monterrey (MX)   Banamex Theater

Arcade Fire will appear on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart tonight. They’ll perform “Ready to Start” from their new album The Suburbs which is currently the # 1 record in the country!

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart airs on Comedy Central at 11 PM EDT / 10 PM CST. Check your local listings for channel information and set your DVRs.

The Suburbs is available on CD, dbl-LP and digital download (with special digital artwork) in the Merge store. And you should also check out this one-day special happening through twitter @earlybird!