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It’s been a solid two and a half years since the last time I saw the xx. It definitely showed, as this was not even close to the same band that I saw at Webster Hall.
This was a stronger, much different version of the band. Their rise to insane popularity is no secret, but even so, I didn’t anticipate just how different they would be live. There was a much bolder focus on Jamie xx and his beat making capability. The live experience is a bit different than their recorded work in this aspect. But Jamie xx is only one part of the exciting whole that is the xx, and this is only one part of the bands range.
Of course, the rest goes to the extremely talented vocal duo of Oliver Sim and Romy Madley-Croft. They are moments when they hide in the shadows, letting the silhouettes that light up during brief flashes of light. Their voices rise beneath the surface and are the glue that holds the act together. The band are certainly looking and sounding a lot more comfortable than they did in their early days.
They would weave in and out of songs, merging them together, making them into whole pieces, usually through electronic work that definitely holds well live. This created a set that was like a connected thread, creating an entire piece, rather than a series of songs.
Songs from both album were shared equally, with the newer songs showing new temperament, and the older songs stretching their limbs into new territories as well.
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