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Four years after forming in a London school, The xx unleashed their 2009 eponymous debut via Young Turks. The 11-track collection not only earned accolades from critics across the globe, but it also scored the U.K.’s coveted Mercury Prize and landed the dream-pop band in the limelight stateside. Singles from their indie-label foray graced American television programs like “Person of Interest” and “90210,” as well as a Karl Lagerfeld runway show and NBC’s coverage of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Along with their own headlining theater tours and concerts alongside Friendly Fires, Hundred Waters and The Big Pink, the musical trio has performed at several festivals, including the Matt Groening-curated All Tomorrow’s Parties in 2010, Coachella, Sasquatch Festival and Lollapalooza, among others.
For their most recent effort, 2012’s “Coexist,” the indie pop outfit expanded their ticket-buying base with post-dubstep EDM influences. Though mellow, these touches can be heard in the album’s first two singles, “Angels” and “Chained.”
The XX album sounded so good in my car and then...live on stage...they sucked! The best thing about their show were the light effects. I still love the album but wow, what a terrible live performance. It was like slow motion music, my date yawned several times....too slow, the sound was off and in general, boring.
Sadly, this concert was a disappointment. Love the band, but the light show was overwhelming and ridiculous. You couldn't see them--just the blinding/strobing lights. And I have to add that I've see a few shows now at this venue and the sound isn't great. If there is too much bass or too many instruments--it's not mixed well and you can never then hear the vocals. Too bad--the venue is awesome physically, but not sound-wise. Zona Jesus was a great opening band...
AWESOME concert. Was told that it wasn't AS AMAZING as expected because their record was recorded with 4 people but then they lost one so it would lose some effect. But was COMPLETELY Blown away. :) Would love to go see them again ASAP!
The XX were fantastic live, they have a fantastic show they put on! The lights were paired amazingly with each song. The first opener, Zola Jesus was not fantastic, in fact most of her songs made me cringe. However, the second opening band, Warpaint was quite good! The Fox theater is an awesome venue, and even though we had litterally BACK row seats, it was a great show!
i'm glad it was cheap, wasn't a great show. I would have liked longer songs with more "jams".
Never will I forget the night of September 23rd these guys along with Zola Jesus, and Warpaint blew the mind of every single person that went to this concert. The whole atjmosphere was perfect and the ppl were supportive. The bad gave their best and we felt it! Totally worth it! I would see them again! Love you guys!
I get to the fox around, 7:30 and it was really empty hehehe I mean my friend was literally doing homework on the floor! it took about 40 minutes for the first band to open, Zola Jesus, they were good, lead singer's vocals remind me of Siouxsie Sioux really reminiscent. The next band took the stage by 9 ish and this band was no joke, Warpaint. A talent quartet of ladies with a very experimental sound. I enjoyed every minute they were on stage :) Then around 10 a black curtain was put up and The mercury prize winners The xx took the stage. Played every song from their album and a b side, They played in the bay area 3 months ago. I enjoyed their presence on stage the band was very pleased to be playing at the fox again. This was the first band at the fox theatre to make history from going from opening band to becoming a headliner within a year! :)
The show began with the dramatic and hypnotic "Intro", first tune from the album. Smith, on percussion emerged as the center piece on "Intro". Sim & Croft then gradually began to craft the sparse beauty that is the trademark of their music. Despite having only one album, the show did feel limited or short. The band was well served by excellent, artful lighting throughout the show. The final tunes, which I believe were "Night Time" & "Infinity" brought the show to an excellent close. The encore, "Stars" with its quiet ending was a perfect choice. A very good night of music!
Amazing sound and style. Beautiful venue accentuated the experience. The 3 person band performed simple but powerful pieces that at times stirred deep into ones soul. The show was short but that was a good thing. The songs for the most part were repetitive but catchy. Their music is simple, very simple. They seem to have mastered a sound that is certainly unique, and maybe even eeirie at times. The bassist has the style and the guitarist has the voice. The real musical talent is the man in the middle who has a master setup of electronic synth, percussion etc.... I felt that what was really cool is that they tried to rely on their sound, style and songs as the entertainment instead of theatrics. Still, at times I felt that some of the songs were a little too rough to keep the flow of the song/mood consistent . Cons: Rough transitions at times. Couldn't hear the vocals as clearly as I thought they could have been especially for a mood band. No obvious chemistry between him her. Not a big deal i guess. He was a bit of a show boat and she was barely even noticable. Again not a big deal but the contrast was a bit odd. His solo song where he edges out on the tip of the stage was kind of a sucky song imo. His expression and delivery all suggested that the song he was singing would be as emphatic. It was not. Pros: Simple is sometimes so beautiful. Their music is not about flash but about mood and feeling. Cool unique sound. Cool style. Cool lighting. SImple dark stage adds to the mystery of the band which is very very cool. The singing styles are very complimentary. Both voices are unique. I enjoyed hers especially. Great venue. The loge level is the best place to view a band like this. Short set. Good thing IMO. It ended just at the right time.
this was the 2nd time I saw the xx previous to coachella 2010. They're just completely mind blowing. My favorite band hands down, if you ever get the chance to see them do it. I know they've been on tour for two years and i'm not sure how much longer they will be on tour for. Prob gonna write a new album soon and take touring time off.
My first experience at Fox Theater was one that I will remember for many years to come; I would come back to Fox time and time again just to indulge in the godliness of the temple-like feel inside. I was so blown away, literally-mind, body, everything, by the performance by the xx. The gorgeous lighting, sultry fog, and perfectly timed strobe lights all combined to make it feel like a much more intimate show than the whole "sold out" deal. They even played one of their newest songs which was a more dubstep feel--which got the crowd super amped. I can't wait for my next run-in with the xx and Fox Theater.
Didn't see the xx, went for zola jesus, she was beautiful and special. Warpaint were cool.
Nosaj thing was definitely an amazing opener! Wasn't a big fan of Phantogram.. But The xx was amazing! I'm definitely seeing them when they're back in the area in September!
The XX's opening bands were really hard to stand through. It was a free show, so to have waited on line so long only to hear amateur musicians was really irritating. The XX themselves are a favorite of mine, but to my disappointment they sounded exactly the same live as they do recorded. They didnt engage the audience, instead we just listened to them and tried to get into it the best we could. So, it was fine.
The XX sound even better live! I would definitely see them again!
The xx did an incredible job for their first headlining tour. Their voices were crystal clear. Being relatively new to the game they do need to get more comfortable onstage and relax. They played "Hot Like Fire" for the first time ever live (it's an Aaliyah cover and one of my favorites on the album). "Fantasy" was, for me, the highlight of the concert. The bass was so loud my nostrils were vibrating! It was so intense. I have to admit, they had a pretty slow start - they should have played the first two songs, "Crystalized" and "Islands," towards the end. They are an amazing band and I would highly recommend people to see them live. I can see them doing even bigger and better things in the future.
my main issues were: - The xx could mix it up a bit painfully close to the album version. - The opener was so bad i literally almost walked out forfeiting my paid for tickets. on the upside: - The xx know how to play despite the loss of their fourth member. overall: i would not pay to see them again
didn't know phantogram was opening... but they were good. And the transition between sets was kind of long and the fire alarm went off about 5 times... and 21 and up got the dance floor and 20 and under got the balcony which was completely unexpected. But when the xx came on, it was a great show. Oliver Sim is a beast. So are you Romy, and Jamie. xx
Last night The XX show at the House of Blues in San Diego made me wonder what it must feel like for a band to completely lose their audience; because halfway through their set last night the audience had completely checked out. This isn't to say that the crowd left, because they hung in for the whole set. Instead, they began to talk loudly. I'm not talking about a few people; it was the majority of the crowd engaged in a loud conversation. It was an extremely quiet show to begin with so the talking seemed amplified. I have to wonder what went wrong? What made an entire audience mentally leave a concert? Things started well. The band dis their opening song behind a large curtain with amplified shadows being the only thing the crowd could see. This isn't the most original opening but it seemed to pull the crowd in. Next they played their modest hit Crystalised, and again the crowd seemed to be completely into the show. Then things slowly started to change. Perhaps this was their first mistake. When you only have one small song that is successful you may not want to open with it. The hits are what a band can use when they feel the crowd slipping to pull them back into the moment. With their hit already played, the set progressed and the crowd's talking became more and more noticable. At certain points in the show it was much louder than the music being played. So what went wrong? The music can't be to blame, because people know what they signed up for. The songs were note perfect to those produced in the studio. This is never something I enjoy. I like a little diversity; especially when an album is so electronic. To hear perfect renditions of primarily synthetic songs never thrills me. I like when a band takes a risk and tears the studio album apart to recreate it in a live setting. Still, most concert goers I know are more than content to hear the album with cheers inserted in between tracks. So what was it that made this crowd decide that their conversations were more important than the band they paid money to see? Perhaps it was the stage presence of the band. To say they lacked charisma would be an understatement. Still, I knew what to expect because I had watched youtube clips and seen what they had to offer at their live shows. I liked the album enough to give the show a try even knowing that there was no drummer, which is blaspheme in my mind. Watching a synthetic rhythm section is about as exciting as watching paint dry. So what backfired for the crowd? All I can think is that things were too perfect, too predictable. Any person in thew room could have predicted that they would play a show in low lighting. Darkness is a tricky thing at concerts. when used correctly it can add to an already amazing experience. When it causes the cocktail waitress to keep stepping on your foot it is just annoying. Even a jaded crowd full of hipsters wants something amazing. Simply listening to exact reproductions of studio songs must not be enough.
very cool guys and very talented. Very European style.
