Crystal Castles [3/14/08]

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I first heard about Crystal Castles when Soundcheck did a segment on the Underage Festival, an under-19-only outdoor concert held in London last year. What their performance at the event, and you'll get an idea of the frenzy this group tends to incite. Their set at Emo's main stage Friday night starts minus singer/fistpumper Alice Glass, who waits just a few moments before hurling herself onstage in a blur of gangly arms and legs. She drops to the floor repeatedly and bounces back up. A constant strobe light makes it even crazier, perhaps. The young fans in the front go nuts for it.

I'd been worried at the start that this young band would suffer a terrible fate: a preponderance of old dudes with badges and BlackBerries. When I first arrived, I had trouble navigating around a huddle of five 9-to-5 types who were plotting their next move and perhaps trading oil futures, too. But within minutes, the crowd surges with the young folks, and suddenly I'm the oldest guy around. Hey, kids! Who remembers Compuserve? Gag me with a spoon! Oh, that President Reagan and his first term!

P.S. Crystal Castles is named after '80s action cartoon character She-Ra's humble abode. At least I'm young enough to know that.