The Crystal Method (at Ruby Skye)

I love it when a show is about to start.  The people milling around, the bars setting up, the private blocked-off seating empty, because those who have private seating are always fashionably late.  And whoever arrives after them is even cooler because they don't even need private seating to let everyone know how cool they are.  Ahh yes, the night of Saturday, Apr. 3 held all of these things.  Firstly, The Crystal Method did not even start until midnight, which is pretty fancy on top of the fancy venue (the Ruby Skye, which by the way is a stellar place to experience a large one-room two story dance hall, with a side room).  With no opener, they needed to play some jeering sounds that could not be called music in order to introduce themselves.  Before you could say "this isn't music" the real sounds started in.  For those of you who are not familiar with their sound, Crystal Method is a group that varies, with hits that are steady and loud, to mellowed-out, build-up fests of glory. 

When a DJ puts on a show usually one of two things happens:  The audience is entranced with the vibe and are swept along whether they can help it or not, or conversely, the DJ tries defiantly to mold the show into the audience, causing an off-balance mishmash of jiving and grooving.  This night had neither of these elements.  From the get-go, it was clear that the DJ and the groovers were in rhythm with each other in such a way that all the skipped beats were skipped together. 

A good dancing scene, too, about 50-50 dancers to prancers.

And the show did not linger too long, either.  If ever the chance comes again to visit Ruby Skye, or to rock out at a classy venue with The Crystal Method, I will be sure to be there.

EBAC thanks the Crystal Method for access to this show.