Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on January 2011

Even in a country as fastidiously metronomic as Japan, you get used to gigs never starting on time. Venues want to flog a few more drinks before the band take to the stage—whatever. But, nearly an hour after Crystal Castles were due to play at Liquidroom, the crowd were getting visibly nervous.

No lights were dimmed when an ordinary-looking Japanese woman took the stage and made her way to the mic. My Japanese isn’t perfect, but I could make out the words “injury” and “cancel” and started to sweat. As it turned out, singer Alice Glass had broken her ankle the night before in Osaka, and been advised to pull the Tokyo show. The crowd’s nervousness turned to excitement when the woman continued that, given Glass’s love of Japanese audiences so much, the show would go on as planned.

The group’s energy hadn’t dimmed a bit when they stormed onto the stage, even if their frontwoman was hobbling along with the help of a cane. Late starts and injuries aside, they didn’t disappoint a bit. The setlist drew on both of their eponymous albums, giving extra heft to some of the more atmospheric tracks while going all-out on the screechy numbers. Glass hopped around on one foot, even falling and finishing a song from the stage floor.

Things peaked with “Not In Love,” the group’s biggest hit to date. In a night of surprise, I almost expected Robert Smith to appear onstage for a guest vocal turn—with cane. It wasn’t to be, alas, but no worry: Crystal Castles conquered Tokyo all the same.

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