Thursday night, IHEARTCOMIX and Goldenvoice hosted a charming evening with Crystal Fighters at The Fonda Theatre in Hollywood. Debuting their sophmore album Cave Rave, these Brits are bringing fun to every stage they grace. Los Angeles is now officially schooled in how to have a fantastic night.
The curtain rises and a dark, sinister song plays as shirtless guitarist Graham Dickson enters the stage and greets the crowd with some slow and spicy riffs, filling the sound ’til the entire band joins. As they transition into the fast pounding intro of “Solar System,” the modest crowd immediately begins to nod along. This becomes especially apparent when Dickson and fellow bandmate Gilbert Vierich take to the txalaparta covered in animal hides with feverish enthusiasm; everyone follows the wild beats. Even though the pit is barely full, the entire floor quickly fills with jumping bodies enjoying the happy eclectic sounds.
It seems challenging to take singers Mimi Borelli and Sebastian Pringle seriously as they are covered in Shakira’s sequin jingle belt collection, but the “worldly” outfits fit the eclectic sound and the lighthearted vibe in the room. People are jumping, spinning and twirling about the dance floor and enjoying every ounce of the music. The tribal element of Crystal Fighters’ sound is so versatile. They employ female-male vocal harmonies, keyboards, txalaparta, various guitars and plenty of mixed percussion to create a sub-genre of alternative dance music that can most recognizably be referred to as “happy music.” Sweet, twangy guitar riffs pepper through intense mixed electronic and live beats. Even though Borelli’s voice gets overshadowed at times, she still finds a way to take the spotlight as she howls through their new song “Separator.” The vibration shakes the entire space. Everyone calms to follow her lead. As soon as the song picks up, they bounce about again like little sprites. Frontman Pringle shuffles across the stage as if he is the forgotten sixth member of Jackson 5 and fans below instantly join in the silly dance. Certainly, all their flair just adds to the stimulating experience.
They continue to steadily alternate between a healthy mix of songs from the first album Star of Love as well as their new music. Their quirky mix of sounds is the perfect blend to bring people to their feet. Perhaps the best performances of the night are “Love Is All I Got” and “You & I.” The familiar songs get the entire room moving and that energy carries straight through to the end of the show. Even though many trickle out early, the pit still remains home for many of the eager fans who now just take it as more dancing space for the final stretch of the night. Judging by the audience’s ear-to-ear smiles during the group’s loud and crazy rendition of “In the Summer” and the lighter, warm close with “At Home,” Crystal Fighters’ live set is an utterly satisfying experience. Their ability to engage and connect with their audience is something that takes years to achieve; they still utilize every ounce of charm to own the hearts of their audience and ultimately show them a good time. Catch up with more of the IHEARTCOMIX music updates here.
Set list
Solar System
Follow
LA Calling
Champion Sound
Separator
I Do This Everyday
Love Is All I Got
You & I
Plage
Are We One
Love Natural
In the Summer
At Home
Encore
I Love London
Wave
Xtatic Truth
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