Crystal Castles @ House of Blues Boston 10.6.12

Most people don’t have the desire to get other people’s hair in their mouths, be squished between two very large men, get whacked in the face with dreadlocks, or be dripping in sweat that is not your own. However, this is the outcome of some concerts, and it must be the attendee’s expectation that this will occur during their experience. I knew that seeing Crystal Castles, with their reputation for chaotic concerts, would be intense to say the least. I was not let down.

Dance moves aside, it is obvious that Crystal Castles’ thumping, melodic vibes are meant to be heard live. They played a mix of songs from I, II, and their upcoming album III, and easily kept the energy high. Vocalist Alice Glass’ unique songstress style and catchy hooks meshed in tunes like “Baptism” and “Alice Practice.” The vivacity of those around me peaked as the crowd favorite “Celestica” blasted and the stage lights flickered and blazed. Seamless renditions of “Vanished,” “Crimewave,” and “Untrust Us” flowed into one another before a finale of their cover of “Not in Love,” originally performed by Platinum Blonde. There was a fair mix of songs from the three albums, which seemed to appease everyone, including myself. The crowd screamed for an encore, which included the unreleased track “Yes, No” and “Reckless.” Then, they screamed for another, which prompted Crystal Castles to close with one of their older favorites, “Courtship Dating.”

The entirety of the show was a nonstop dance party and Alice didn’t say a word, purely relying on her lofty reputation to speak for her. This show fulfilled my hopes of being a fervent night of twisting and shouting, and Alice Glass lived up to her personal expectations as she drank Jack Daniel’s and spewed it into the audience. This was definitely a concert where the focus was on the experience, and not so much the clarity and synchronization of their music. This sort of excitement might not be for everyone, but if you’re up for it, Crystal Castles delivers an extraordinarily fierce concert.

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