The xx

By Nicholas BradleyThe xx played a sold-out show at the Tabernacle music hall in Atlanta on Saturday, Feb. 2. Known for their unique brand of moody indie-pop, the xx hails from London and has released two albums to date. Their first, The xx, was released in 2009 and has grown in popularity in part because of its well-known opening track, “Intro.” The xx’s most recent album Coexist was released in 2012 and brings an updated twist to their initial, atmospheric offering.Saturday’s show opened with a short set by Toronto-based electronic group, Austra. While the first song of Austra’s set, “Lose It,” got the crowd’s hopes up with its high-energy electronic beat, the rest of their performance left much to be desired. Despite her opera training, the band’s lead singer, Katie Stelmanis, took an alternative approach to intonation. Her overdramatic cavorting seemed out of sync with the band’s vibe and the impact of her lyrics was overshadowed by her inability to sing coherently. Overall, Austra’s onstage demeanor was, well, awkward.Each of the four musicians – dad-punk-y frontwoman Stelmanis, ultra-hip drummer Maya Postepski, clumsy bassist Dorian Wolf, and the awkwardly undressed keyboardist Ryan Wosniak – seemed to be in his or her own world and the band clearly lacked the unity that usually makes for a great performance. Although I can’t say that I enjoyed Austra’s set, I certainly couldn’t have found another band to open for a group like The xx.While Austra’s opening set was awkward and uneventful, The xx’s performance was well-coordinated and moving.Initially, I was skeptical of seeing The xx live. Their albums are ambient, with powerful lyrics and a sparse instrumentation that, I suspected, wouldn’t translate well to the stage. It’s great music for doing homework but I wasn’t sure I wanted to stand around for an hour listening to songs that I only kind of knew.Needless to say, I was truly impressed by all aspects of the The xx’s performance.For a group composed of only three musicians – guitarist Romy Croft, bassist Oliver Sim, and percussionist Jamie Smith – The xx made excellent use of The Tabernacle’s spacious stage. Smith’s percussion equipment filled the back half of the stage while Croft and Sim occupied the front with little more than themselves and a pair of microphones. The percussion equipment was arranged in an arc centered on a pair of clear blocks, each engraved with a large “X,” and resembled a more modern version of the giant drum kits of Neil Peart and Phil Collins. Sim’s equipment ranged from more traditional, acoustic percussion instruments to a DJ’s mixing deck and a high-tech drum pad on which he tapped out beats.The xx’s show began with a few of the more popular songs, played as they might be heard on The xx or Coexist. From the very beginning, the crowd was enthralled by fluid figures morphing perpetually on a screen behind the stage while the band tugged the heartstrings of everyone in attendance. Then, entirely unexpectedly, the band started rocking out – hard.Songs that were usually mellow and contemplative now featured high-energy beats that got the crowd moving. Smith used his turntable setup as the audience danced and Croft and Sim assumed their respective power stances as bright lights flashed and lasers swayed in the background.Near the end of the performance, the screen changed to the band’s iconic album cover, a large, white “X” centered on a black background. It was, for lack of a better word, epic. The band took a bow and, before I knew it, the show was over. Although The xx is considered as hip as can be, the band members have a classic, early-1960s Beatles or Rolling Stones vibe that I really appreciate. They all performed in black clothing but of a style more akin to Johnny Cash than a grungy punk band. Their music is clearly the product of a joint creative effort, with each member contributing something shamelessly authentic to the finished product. The band can rock but, when it comes to addressing the crowd, they’re polite and endearingly British. It’s rare that you hear musicians tell a cheering crowd, “thank you, we really needed that.” You really can’t help but love The xx.Despite my initial skepticism, I feel like I experienced something truly special. The xx is music for a new generation, a generation that’s fighting to balance a new way of life – based in social media and defined by a flood of new technology – with the seemingly timeless values of the old one. It’s sex and romance with a modern twist, love songs that confused twenty-somethings of all genders can relate to.Whereas, at most shows, I usually feel like an over-eager teen at a concert for adults, I felt like I belonged at The Tabernacle on Saturday night. When the band’s iconic “X” appeared behind the stage, a sea of iPhones lit up to capture the moment and, I must admit, I was doing the exact same thing.