Image by Kara Hayes
Shattered glass
Defying expectations, Toronto-based Crystal Castles give a short, but tremendous show
By Britt Julious
Published: March 1st, 2008 | 2:25am
February 27, 2008 in, Chicago — Crystal Castles and HEALTH made for a perfect match this past Wednesday at the Abbey Pub. Although their musical sounds are decidedly unique, each group incorporated an animalistic drive in their songs throughout the night. Openers HEALTH staged something reminiscent of performance art for the crowd about an hour and a half into the show’s original start time. I initially found myself flustered while searching for a friend, as the group yelped and, more often than not, moved around the tiny stage as if in desperation. The rhythmic, tribal drumming acted as an anchor between songs that seamlessly blended from one to the next.
Crystal Castles finally took to the stage around 11:20 p.m. and the crowd’s anxiousness had only increased as the time passed. When the lights finally darkened, many audience members began clapping in unison in anticipation of multi-instrumentalist Ethan Kath and dynamic vocalist Alice Glass. A series of electronic blips and beeps were the only noticeable presence in the room until the band took to the stage and the audience immediately began dancing and thrashing around on the floor.
Even from my initial vantage point of the second floor balcony at the Abbey, I felt enamored with Glass. The strobe-like lighting and Glass’ bouncing and writhing on the stage made the young singer reminiscent of a young Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The scene was dark and moody, yet somehow energetic. Like a severe goth rave, Glass and Kath took command, letting the emotional screams and synths of each song speak to the audience.
After the first lines of “Crimewave,” the energy quickly moved from excitement to eruption. Glass began to get closer to the ground, interacting with the audience members at the front of the stage. Although the fan favorite “Air War” in concert seems to be one of the calmest on the group’s self-titled record, Kath and Glass abandon the restrictions of the studio with Kath’s keyboards aggressively pounding out each note and Glass yelping with a heavy fervor. A similar situation occurred during “Courtship Dating,” an '80s-like synth retro tune, also featured on the new album. Glass’ vocals were thicker and more insistent than the slicker studio production.
When “Alice Practice” began, my friend and I retreated from our table on the second floor and joined the action downstairs. The audience began near-riotously dancing along to the song with friends and strangers alike. The group’s accidental first single proved to be the most enthralling moment of the night. However, after a short 40 minutes, the lights abruptly came on and the concert was over.
“That can’t be it. Is that it?” a young man I had talked to earlier asked. Apparently so. The rest of the audience began to retrieve their coats and leave the building. For a concert that exuded confidence, talent, and spirit, many — myself included — were left a little empty-handed. However, if the all-too-short 40 minutes the band played are any indication, even greater success is ripe for Crystal Castles’ future.
Issue #29
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