The xx Concert

The xx is by far my new favorite music group. The band comes from South London and is comprised of four 20-year-olds who have created a very interesting style based on emotionally charged duets and computerized instrumental beats. I was ecstatic to hear that the group was giving a free concert at the Apple store on Prince Street in SoHo on October 22, 2009, as part of the CMJ Music Festival that swept Manhattan at the end of October. I was not sure if I would be able to get in the store to see the band that is literally sweeping the world with their quiet, but powerful tunes that keep me wanting more. The xx sold out their concerts in the city during their brief New York trip, and I thought a free concert would be too good to be true. However, when I got to the store an hour before the group went on, I was pleasantly surprised to see that I would be able to catch them live! Even though there was a large crowd for the awkward venue that took place on the top floor of the popular retail establishment, it was not overwhelming, and I was able to get a pretty good view of the fierce foursome performing their debut CD.

The band mates looked very different than I had expected. The songs are somewhat sweet and Romy Madley Croft, the lead singer and guitarist, was harsher looking than I had visualized. The back and forth singing conversations between Madley Croft and her counterpart Oliver Sim, the bassist and other singer, are intriguing and relatable. It seems as if these young adults have gone through a volatile relationship with one another, and if not, they have created a dynamic reaction to romance at such a young age. The simplistic lyrics are accompanied by the instrumentals of Jamie Smith who puts together the beats and Baria Qureshi on the synthesizer.

The concert lived up to my expectations, because all I wanted was to hear these beautiful, short tunes live, without any big spectacle, and that is just what I got. The band stood up in front of everyone and simply sang pure, honest feelings. I especially loved the songs “Crystalised” and “Islands.” I have always been a big fan of successful duets and the xx have mastered this often tricky art. This is the perfect music to turn up and allow to take over your mind. I love listening to the entire cd on repeat while walking around the sometimes overwhelming streets of Manhattan, because it casts spells of relaxation and reflection that are welcome in times of high traffic and high stress.