For the benefit of those who have never had the privilege of attending an event at the Electric Factory I will say this: avoid it at all costs. Nestled up 7th street, amid the urban decay of Philadelphia’s industrial past, stands the Electric Factory, a monument to the corporate nature of modern music. The renovated factory building can hold up to 2,500 people, which must have been about how many kids turned out to this night's show. The Electric Factory’s only redeeming quality is the wrap around bar/balcony, which allows anyone who is 21+ a fantastic view of the stage with ample seating. That is exactly where I found myself last Wednesday, peering down at the crowd of suburban teens who drove down for Crystal Castles.
We arrived around 9pm, successfully avoiding the initial ticket line. Upon entering, we were met by the blasting beats of Destructo, a clean-cut DJ from Los Angeles. After three minutes of watching him bob to the beat, flicking a fader now and then, I lost interest. The crowd seemed unimpressed and patiently awaited the next act. The set change was quick (merely an exchange of MacBooks), and Sinden took the stage. Hailing from the United Kingdom, Sinden changed the mood only slightly, mixing in some afro-beat to keep the crowd awake. As Sinden’s set came to an end, the crowd grew tense. There was obviously a large turnout for Rusko, with fans making their presence known as soon as the bass dropped. From my vantage point atop the balcony I watched as the mass below was violently shaken with the crushing bass of Rusko’s dub creations. With his fiery red hair and punk rock demeanor, Rusko was just
as entertaining to watch as he was to listen to.
An hour later, Rusko walked off stage as crews quickly went to work dismantling the massive LCD screen revealing a drum set. Smoke and anticipation filled the room as the lights dimmed. When
Ethan Kath and Alice Glass took the stage, the entire crowd erupted, beautifully accompanying the static hiss of their first song, "Fainting Spells." Known for their stage presence, Crystal Castles did not
disappoint. Alice Glass writhed around stage, diving over the barrier and into the crowd by the second song. Juxtaposed to this was Ethan Kath, who leered over his table of digital dance machines in all black.
With the first notes of "Courtship Dating," the room exploded once again, sending the crowd into a sweaty frenzy. Their set included old favorites from their first self-titled album, including "Crimewave" and "Alice Practice," along with tracks off their new release including "Baptism," "Doe Deer" and "Empathy." The acoustic drums added to the visual aspect of the performance, but took away from the glitchy feel of many of their songs. After a brief break, Crystal Castles came back with a three song encore, playing "Untrust Us," "Intimate" and "Yes No."
By the end of Crystal Castles set, many of the sweaty mass on the floor had been dancing for five hours. Slowly they dribbled out of the Electric Factory, praising the cool night air and searching for mom, dad or their friends to take them home. We left with the mixed sense of having been slightly cheated after spending $7 on a beer, and completely content after having seen a truly spectacular set by one of the most entertaining live bands around.
