Crystal Stilts : Live In the U.K.

It seemed that more people than should be legal had crammed themselves around the stage on Monday, June 20th at XOYO for Crystal Stilts’ first London gig since their second album, In Love With Oblivion (QRO review) was released earlier this year.  The opening number had everyone bemused, as a long stretched-out tuning up session was not what the audience had come for.  A brave new direction is not what was expected a mere two months after the last record release.  But after four minutes of baffled looks and shuffled feet, the opening notes of “Through the Floor” signalled a collective sigh of relief as the gig truly began.

For the first four tracks, the band seemed keen to create an atmosphere; songs moved seamlessly into each other, there was no interaction from the band aside from a couple of “thank yous” from lead singer, Brad Hargett, and colours and shapes were projected onto the stage bathing the band in a weird glow.  The effect created was slick, this was a band that had found their way and was well past the excited uneasiness of a first album.  But the moody atmosphere started to loose its charm half way through “Alien Rivers”.  The track, although played well, remains better for listening to on record rather than as a live piece, where its repetitive bass was distorted into monotony.  After this brief low point, the gig turned a corner, more upbeat songs were played and the audience became noticeably more active, swaying and bopping along to the garage rock melodies.  This section began with “Shake the Shackles” and, keeping the momentum going, moved on to the 1960s-inspired “Half the Moon”.  The band, too, became more animated, bantering with the audience, who seemed keen that keyboard player, Kyle Forester, tell them stories.  But time was tight and the band instead launched into first album favourite “Prismatic Room”.

The encore was formed of two tracks from the second album, rather than falling back on old favourites as encores usually do.  But the crowd was more than happy to be entertained by “Sycamore Tree” and “Prometheus At Large”.  The latter proved an excellent closing track – showing off Hargett’s Ian Curtis-esque vocals to their full. 

The gig was all over an hour after it had begun.  Although some songs didn’t translate to live performance as well as hoped, this was still as an exciting set as their previous U.K. tour in 2009.  The band have clearly honed their sound, new songs from In Love With Oblivion sat well with older tracks from their previous album, Alight the Night (QRO review).  Although no great departure has been made with the second album, Crystal Stilts clearly still enjoy what they’re doing, and their fans still enjoy listening to it.