In 2008, Toronto electro-punk duo Crystal Castles released their highly anticipated self-titled debut LP. Many of the tracks had been floating around for years, either in demo form or on sold-out seven-inches, but this official release pushed them into the spotlight. Unfortunately, it also meant anything Ethan Kath and Alice Glass did was made public, which didn’t exactly paint them in the best light, from the feud with artist Trevor Brown to the last-minute cancelation at Dallas’ Granada Theater this year, which led staff to call the duo “pre-madonnas,” to kicking supporting band VEGA off their tour in April, accusing them of theft, to Glass trashing the stage and throwing a punch at security at Barcelona’s Sonar Festival because the sound sucked. Point is: they’re a pretty polarizing pair. You either put their shit aside and enjoy the music or think they’re talentless pricks. I fall into the former category and “Crystal Castles” was one of my favorite albums of 2008. I saw the band live in 2007 and found it to be an intense experience. Though Kath is the brains behind the band, 21-year-old vocalist Glass is the entertainer, completely unpredictable and seemingly batshit crazy. Whether writhing on the floor, diving into the crowd, climbing whatever she can or playing with strobe lights, you can’t take your eyes off her. This’ll definitely be an interesting, albeit slightly creepy, show. Just don’t go if you’re prone to seizures. (Kelley Hecker)
Logan Square Auditorium, 2539 N. Kedzie, (773)252-6179. 8:30pm. $50.
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
