Coming off a momentous victory of The Mercury Music Prize and long strenuous touring across seas, The xx show no signs of wear and tear. There was no other place to be in Atlanta on a Wednesday night than watching the xx perform their self-titled album at The Tabernacle. After the synth-drum pounding of Zola Jesus and the ambient electronic jam sessions of Warpaint, The xx took the stage at 11:04 to an electro drum-pounding introduction before jumping straight into the first track off the album “intro”. After adding a dab of continuous rhythmic beats here and there the band delved into “Crystalised”, their first single. Their setlist was accompanied by a few covers, including a Womack & Womack cover, and songs like “Basic Space” and “Shelter” added additions of electronica which kept the audience interested and entertained. After a small intermission, the band came out and completed their set with “Stars” to a beautiful backlight of small bright lights representing the night sky.
For a beginning band whose career has just recently spawned, The xx have the stage presence of music veterans. They know when to heighten or soften the moods of songs along with guiding the energy of the crowd. Songs with slow tempo were heightened with a fast electric dance pace, greatly satisfying the audience. Although The xx are overdue for a long break after several years of touring, we were informed by Oliver Sim, guitarist/vocalist, that Atlanta was to expect a visit in the near future. The announcement was was met by a vibrant array of screams, some of which were my own, from an Atlanta crowd already eager for their return.
Photography by Becky Cruz
Setlist:
Intro
Crystalised
Hearts Skips A Beat
Basic Space
Fantasy
Shelter
Show Me Love
Teardrops
VCR
Islands
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