THE XX - THE MOTORPOINT ARENA, CARDIFF
17/03/17
MUSIC
Their first venture into the Welsh Capital for 4 and a half years was a significant one. An upgrade from a 1,000 capacity venue to a 7,000 capacity Motorpoint Arena showed the Band’s progression since 2012’s ‘Coexist’. The opening track of the set ‘Say Something Loving’ is met with ecstatic jubilation from the diverse crowd, something which initially surprised me. For every pixie fringed 14-18 year old girl coated in glitter, there was a foot-tapping dad or a group of 30-something women creating a dance pyramid scattered throughout the venue. This is testament to The xx’s profound ability to provide the listener with a sense of emotional catharsis, a feeling of vulnerability matched by its outreaching hand of support for those who may feel isolated.
Stalwarts of the set proceeded it with classics ‘Crystallised’ and ‘Islands’ from their masterful debut album being met with rapturous applause from the welsh crowd. Before dance-inciting tracks such as ‘Dangerous’ and ‘I Dare You’ from the band’s recent album provide a zip and vigour to their already stellar discography. The stage design which has followed The xx throughout their European and U.S tour is reflective (excuse the pun) of the band’s sound evolving. Whilst once attempting to blend into the stage dressed in all-black, shrouded in smoke and often trying to avoid too much interaction with the crowd during performances, The xx have now opted for large structures of spinning reflecting glass bouncing light back onto themselves and the audiences they entertain. This renewed confidence is shared with the obvious remodelling by Jamie xx of previous slower meandering tracks from the first two albums. ‘Fiction’ is led by a 90’s House driven piano-lead and ‘Infinity’ grows with a rhythmic garage influence drum beat until its crescendo climax.
The main set closed with Jamie xx and Romy’s uplifting ‘Loud Places’ from his superb 2015 ‘In Colour’. The poignancy of the crowd being swarmed with rainbow-infused light made me feel incredibly attached to the experience, there was a shared sense of community I had not felt at a gig before. The encore followed suit in this light with the contrasting but as equally anthemic sounds of ‘On Hold’ and ‘Angels’ respectively. And as I left the venue being serenaded by Candi Staton’s 1976 classic ‘Young Hearts Run Free’ I felt like embracing each and every person who had just shared in that experience with me.
words: NATHAN MALLETT