ARTICLE BY JON BUCHANAN
NOV. 7 | ECHO PARK—It’s always a treat when Echoplex plays host to disproportionately massive guests, and without the impediment of a 50-yard buffer zone, the live experience of local boys The Crystal Method can hurt in a good way. Tonight, electronica giants Ken Jordan and Scott Kirkland dropped by Echo Park, bringing their signature breakbeats for a very intimate discharge of sound and fury.
I certainly did not expect The Crystal Method to replicate the same onslaught from out in the desert last April at Coachella, but the friendly confines of the Echoplex have some very mysterious, motivational qualities. The show was a promotional appearance made possible by the good folks at Avid and their vast range of software and hardware designed to cater to today’s digital musician and continue to “fuel the creative explosion.” The venue was only at about half capacity for the sneaky, quarter-to-eight, invite-only performance. Nevertheless, the clearly well equipped duo’s horseshoe platforms, overflowing with technology, warned that things might get rowdy.
Through the pitch darkness, two bright smiles shone through, and Kirkland’s synthed-out voice eventually, and repeatedly, expressed gratitude to be performing in L.A., specifically, on Glendale Blvd. Kirkland’s robotic vocals led into the title track of their fourth LP, released earlier this year, Divided By Night. Lasers and 8-bit chirps give way to a meticulous pounding that shook the concrete. Divided By Night is noticeably slow paced and deliberate for two guys known for their hasty tempos. The Crystal Method aimed for a more menacing sound with this record, and it was nice to be close enough to see the duo scowl in discomfort, as if the diminished bpm was slowly killing them inside.
The Crystal Method has always had a unique talent for matching vocalists with their music, and one of my favorite songs from this last year was the exceptional “Come Back Clean,” featuring Metric’s Emily Haines. She gently moans the creepy public service announcement “Don’t play with drugs in your bloodstream” during the track’s most euphoric moments to create an all together surreal feel. “Come Back Clean” and the exhilarating “Double Down Under” were two of only a handful of tracks performed from Divided By Night.
The set was dominated by songs from their groundbreaking, debut full-length, 1997’s Vegas, a collection that clearly influenced a generation of domestic, digital musicians. The haunting vocals of “High Roller” generated a squeal from the very well-acquainted audience. After all these years, “High Roller” still manages to sound crisp and modern despite its “big beat.” The Crystal Method has licensed a ton of their material over the years, and one of their most recognizable pieces is the seizure-inducing “Busy Child.” This song has been a fixture on my guilty pleasures playlist for years, and it was nice to unabashedly enjoy it in public.
The final four songs came from Vegas, including the classic “Trip Like I Do.” Again, elements such as the gentle pulsating of an electronic heartbeat, and eventually a gargantuan, concrete beat, still manage to retain that same energy that grabbed me by the scruff of the neck back in middle school. Kirkland and Jordan were explosive while performing in such close quarters, and I really hope we see them popping up around the city for more club shows in the near future.
Divided By Night is a great record, and I wish The Crystal Method had drawn more heavily from it, but that was the only complaint I had tonight. It was stirring to watch the artist and fan reconnect and feed off each other. Kirkland took a long, slow mosey around the stage before saying his goodbyes and disappearing back into the darkness. He stared deeply and menacingly into the audience, looking for any reason to reignite the blaze one more time. The always modest Jordan placed his hand on his heart, leaned over his equipment and shouted, “Thank you so much! We needed this one!” as if we did them a favor by showing up.
Leave a Reply