Photos By Darren Kim
(darren@rockscope.com)

Fans' Needs

It must've been almost a year since I last saw The Cribs when their album Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever was released. I was near the bar at The Troubadour enjoying a cold beer casually listening to an unfamiliar opening song off their new record. The serenity quickly ended at the start of "Hey Scenesters!" when I was swiftly shoved with a cold beer still in hand towards the front of the stage by uncontrollable forces of people pushing, hopping, and shouting. For the next hour, my senses were joyfully trapped in a throng of like-minded strangers.

It was a similar scene at The El Rey Theatre a couple days ago when The Cribs returned to Los Angeles at a slightly larger venue for the final show of their tour. Except this time, I traded a beer for a camera hoping to peacefully capture the show. Needless to say, by the time the opening chords of "Mirror Kissers" were strummed, I was in the middle of the crowd once again shouting, screaming, yelling.

The Cribs have always caused a cult-like fervor in me since hearing their album The New Fellas a few years back. Whether they're breaking down the basics of relationships, pointing out pretentious hypocrisy, or poking fun at our narcissistic MySpace generation, their lyrics are full of cynicism and snarky indifference delivered through raucous choruses, shouts, and guitar riffs. And with so many hooks to back up their words, it's not hard to get caught up in their cathartic anthems and energy.

Even with their first major label release Men's Needs, Women's Needs, Whatever, The Cribs have always maintained a low-key demeanor and have never labeled themselves as one of the cool kids. Ironically, because of this 'whatever' attitude, they've managed to create one of the coolest personas in rock.

As for their performance, all I can say is my neck is still inexplicably sore this afternoon, and that may be one of the best signs of a good show and a great band.

Videos

Men's Needs

Notable Links

thecribs.com - official site