Summer is just around the corner, and there is no band out there that does summer quite like Crystal Fighters. Their infectious energy and upbeat and fiery songs caused a wave of attention last year, on the back of their hugely successful debut album Star of Love. I chatted with percussionist and guitarist Glibert Vierich about the band’s exciting future and insane past few years.
Within minutes I feel as though I have known Vierich all my life. “Yeah man, so sorry: in the middle of a sound check so things are kind of crazy. How’s it going, how is life?” Although this is not a new feeling for me, having seen the band live, I know personally the intimate relationship Crystal Fighters share with their fans. “It has been such an awesome experience, getting to play live across the country, meeting the fans who have been with us from the beginning and playing to the people who have just discovered us. The weird thing is, playing live is just as fun for us as it is for the fans, we share the excitement and the craziness.”
Having played over 100 shows in 15 countries in the past two years, it is easy to see how excited gigging makes them. I ask Vierich what likes most about playing live, and his response confirms that performing is something he genuinely enjoys.
“Everything. It is such an all-encompassing, overwhelming experience. From the weeks on end sitting on a tour bus, to the fans, to the music, to the travel… It truly is the whole package. Touring is something which has the power to make you fall in love with music every single day.”
The live shows have become a staple part of what makes Crystal Fighters unique. Their earlier shows would revolve around an operatic style, with bizarre props and eccentric routines designed to put across the wild, Spanish roots within their music. I ask how their music and live shows have developed in the past few years, the band having started out in 2008.
“We have definitely become more cohesive and smooth within our writing. Whereas Star of Love was more about the songs individually, our new album definitely has a more holistic sound to it. The songs merge and tell a story as an album, and we are really proud of this.”
There is evidently a lot of hype about their upcoming album Cave Rave which shall be released on the 27th May, with critics such as NME and Rolling Stone already hoping for big things.
“I think the main difference between the two albums is the fact that the first was an experiment, bringing together many different genres and styles to create this very eclectic sound. Now we are in a position where we know what makes us tick in terms of influences, and we have spent time making these influences as smooth as possible within our songs.”
This summer promises to be huge for Crystal Fighters, whose festival season last year saw them rise among the ranks of most watched and most enjoyed. As well as playing Reading and Leeds this year, the band are touring all over Europe, including Holland and Belgium, spending time with their increasing worldwide fan base.
“The most incredible part of this job is that you get to share music with people from all around the world. It is the most humbling and inspiring thing. It simply makes us the band we are and constantly drives us to become better and better.”
The music of Crystal Fighters is, in a word, infectious. Their debut single ‘I Love London’ caused waves of excitement across the country that are still rippling, their distinctive electro fusion becoming a regular play on radio stations around the UK.
But this band is not your average indie/pop/rock mix. They are the band who are pushing carnage, inhibition and full frontal passion back into the mainstream, but in an easy, fun, upbeat way.
Vierich concluded: “If I had to describe our music in three words? Globo. Wonk. Funk.”
And there you have it. The band of the summer, and the band of the future. Crystal Fighters are here to stay, and here to thrive over the coming years. They are most certainly a name to take note of.