Live Review: the xx at Variety Playhouse, March 24

By Emily Hogan

The xx played a sold out show on Wednesday, March 24 at the Variety Playhouse. They were accompanied by Los Angeles-based DJ Nosaj Thing and Swedish duo jj.

Unfortunately I missed Nosaj Thing, but he is worth checking out. And I highly recommend the remix he did of The xx’s “Islands” which you can hear below.

I did make it just in time for jj. jj is Elin Kastlander and Joakim Benon. I must say they are amazing. Their stage presence is awkward and lazy, but it goes along with the vibe of their interesting music. And that one light that was projected right in the middle of the stage just added to the ambiance of the show. Elin Kastlander’s voice put the noisy crowd into a trance especially during “Ecstasy” and “Let Go”. Their latest release, nº 3, is out on Sincerely Yours (UK) and Secretly Canadian (US).

And now on to the main event, the xx. I was so excited for this show and they did not let me down. As soon as the lights went off, the crowd got silent. All of the attention was on the huge X in the background and I for one was eager with anticipation for Oliver, Romy and Jamie to emerge from back stage. When that first beat hit during “Intro”, it was on.

The general consensus, around me at least, was that the intimacy of the 529 show last year was slightly better than this show. And one guy even said he couldn’t believe how many people were in attendance. This was my first time seeing them, so I was happy as a clam either way.

The xx doesn’t really move around the stage unless they are moving from one instrument to another. However, Oliver rocks back and forth with this stare that could only be described as intense. It’s truly entrancing.

Romy has this innocent sounding, gorgeous voice. And when her voice is matched up with Oliver’s it’s very intriguing. After “Intro”, the band went into “Crystalized” and that sent the audience into a frenzy.

Highlights for me were “Heart Skipped A Beat”, “VCR”, “Do You Mind?” (a cover of the song by British pop singer Kyla) and “Basic Space”. Their delivery of all their songs, but these four in particular, is so seductive. I found myself just staring at them, completely in a trance.

From beginning to end, I was completely blown away by this band. Their music is fantastic and they are so incredibly talented. The show was the second stop on their Spring 2010 tour and the second visit to Atlanta since last October. I for one can’t wait until they come back again.

Listen: The xx – Islands (Nosaj Thing Remix)