FANGIRL Diaries: Starcrawler’s Pink Reign Continues

From basement shows to arena stages, the LA glam rock outfit is proving that punk spirit scales up beautifully.

The last time I saw Starcrawler was a couple of years ago when my old band opened for them at The Biltmore—a sweaty basement venue tucked beneath an old hotel in East Van. Now they’re back in Vancouver, but this time they’re playing The Orpheum, a grand theatre in the heart of the city, opening for the legendary Garbage.

I first met frontwoman Arrow de Wilde back in 2016 when she was 17 and had just started Starcrawler. We did a little interview and photoshoot on my film camera, and since then we’ve done a bunch of shoots together and shared many stages.

It’s been a wild ride watching Starcrawler evolve—playing bigger and bigger venues, covering iconic songs for movies like Jackass 4ever and the Pet Sematary remake, and touring with the likes of Foo Fighters, The Distillers, and now Garbage. Guitarist Henri Cash even released his own line of guitar pedals, and Arrow got to perform with MC5. Honestly, Starcrawler might have the coolest résumé of any band out there right now.

Backstage at The Orpheum is a maze, but eventually I find the sign for Starcrawler’s dressing room and step into a blur of pink suits, pink guitars, and pink cowboy boots. The bright mirror lights make the studs on Arrow’s belt sparkle as she greets me with a big hug. Henri and I start catching each other up on the tea we’ve missed before I remember I’m supposed to be asking actual questions.

Megan Magdalena: The other day I saw a video of Shirley Manson from Garbage announcing that this would be their last American tour due to the current economics of the music industry. As a younger band, what are your thoughts on that?

Henri Cash: Well for starters, all the venues that used to be independent are now owned by Live Nation and the like, and everything’s become a big company. They’re taking a cut, management’s taking a cut, the label’s taking a cut. It just costs a lot to be a band on tour. T-shirts should be $20, but now the venues are taking 20% on top of all the other fees.

Arrow de Wilde: I wish it was as easy as saying if people just bought more physical forms of music it could help, but I don’t really know how to fix it.

HC: I mean, music used to cost something, you know? When I was a kid and a record came out, I’d run out to the store to get a copy and it was this whole thing. Now it’s just a notification on your phone at midnight that you can stream it.

MM: But with Ticketmaster charging us an arm and a leg, how are we supposed to afford a $40 T-shirt?

HC: Exactly. We can’t expect people to buy stuff to support us when they think the ticket they paid for is supporting us—but it’s not anymore.

MM: As you know, I’m a massive Jackass fan. Can you tell me about recording your cover of “If You’re Gonna Be Dumb, You Gotta Be Tough” for Jackass 4ever?

Arrow: They just emailed us out of the blue about doing it!

MM: Wow, my dream.

Henri: I know, pretty awesome. We recorded it in Tim’s (our bassist’s) basement and had our friend mix it to make it sound like it wasn’t recorded in a basement.

ADE: Johnny Knoxville was liking our stuff for a bit there—that was the coolest.

MM: And you had Steve-O in your “Road Kill” video too!

HC: We just emailed him and asked if he’d want to be in it.

ADE: His people replied and said, “Steve-O is down!” I don’t think he even knew we did the cover or who we were.

HC: Yeah, when he showed up he was like, “I just checked you guys out, thought you were rad.” laughs

ADE: Steve-O was super nice and chill. Tim wanted to get hit by the car in the video for real and we had to talk him down.

Tim Franco: I really wanted to get hit by that car.

HC: You watched too much Jackass.

MM: It’s been a year since you released “Learn to Say Goodbye.” Are you teasing us, or is there a new album coming soon?

Arrow: We don’t have a date yet… but soon.

MM: Is there a title for the album?

Henri: There’s a fake title! The album link is called Monkey Business and the cover is a gif on a phone doing business. laughs

MM: Last time I saw you, you were about to drive to Edmonton to play a private Halloween party. What are you doing for Halloween this year?

Arrow: We’ll be in Vegas—still on tour with Garbage, playing on Halloween night!

Henri: I think we’re going to base our outfits around Tim. He has a printed clown shirt. But I went as Elvira one year on tour (there’s photos on Instagram), and then last year we were in Portland at a Jack White show and this little lady taps me to get by—it’s Cassandra Peterson. Elvira! Later, I showed her a photo of my costume and she said, “I love this, I have to show Jack,” and just took my phone with her and walked away.

MM: Normally I’d ask what you’re all fangirling over, but Tim—I know you love those tuxedo-print shirts. Still collecting?

Tim: The market’s kinda not great right now.

MM: Is that because you bought them all?

Arrow: Night Moves! We’ve been fangirling over Night Moves!

Henri: Bob Seger! Definitely fangirling over Bob.

Seth Carolina: We had to pick between Bob Seger and Rod Stewart… Bob’s been crushing.

ADE: I love Rod Stewart—his hair is always inspo. He’s more influential to me in a way, but I think Bob Seger has a better catalogue. Oh, and also fangirling over Rush! “Working Man”!

MM: Rush are touring next year! Can we get Starcrawler opening?

ADE: That’d be lit.

The band starts getting ready for their set. The scattered pink clothing now adorns Henri, and soon everyone’s in a mix of pink and black—my favourite colour combo. We weave through the maze to side stage as they prepare to go on.

The Orpheum might be a seated venue, but that didn’t stop Arrow from throwing herself into the crowd—becoming the first person I’ve ever seen crowd surf over seated people. Henri used every millimetre of the stage to whip his guitar around without missing a note, while his brother Bill held it down on rhythm.

The energy of a Starcrawler show is undeniable—electric, raw, and full of precision. Every member is locked in, and Arrow’s voice has cemented her as one of the best in rock today.

Starcrawler are iconic in every sense of the word—and they’re just getting started, so buckle up.

Originally published in RANGE Magazine