After taking almost two hours to get to Pomona from LA, I was now completely in the mood for Crystal Castles’ Ethan Kath to produce his loud, aggressive, and addictive electro beats, so that I could just let go. But I was highly curious about vocalist Alice Glass. She is known for her stage antics, and I wondered what was in store. Would it be antics over music?
Crystal Castles - Celestica
While most musicians would cancel their tour if they broke their ankle, this was not so for Glass. After breaking it on tour in Japan about a month ago, the young, petite, raven-haired beauty didn’t simply show up and sing at Thursday’s Fox Theater show. She made her way into the crowd at least three times, even stopping for a smoke from a fan. “Alice! Here’s a joint!” he yelled, amid the all-encompassing volume of the track “Reckless” and the fervor of the closest fans. (He and his friends captured this in the video, below, after the 2-minute mark.)
The connection between the crowd and Glass is electric. What I saw was not mere antics; it was someone who knew how to work the stage and the crowd. She gives 110% of herself, and the crowd responds.
It was not your typical dance party. The crowd was very much into what was happening on stage. “Reckless,” “Crimewave,” “Empathy,” and “Courtship Dating” were especially memorable. They were like a chaotic dream of vivid colors while being sucked into a pipe of darkness. This is a live experience that offers something far beyond the recorded tracks, as much as we do enjoy them.
My first live encounter with the electro intensity of Crystal Castles was their opening set for The Cure at London’s O2 Arena two years ago. Having had little sleep, freezing and waiting since 5:00 a.m. just to see The Cure, I have to admit, I don’t remember much of CC. Their set was short and I wasn’t in the right mood.
At last week’s show, I knew that The Cure’s Robert Smith would probably not show up for his duet with CC on their track “Not In Love” (off their 2010 release Crystal Castles), but since one of my idols contributed to the album, I thought I should give them a chance. It was worth it, without question.
Crystal Castles - Reckless
