Lately, nothing has felt as revitalizing as the triumvirate from London, England. At Bonnaroo, The XX's show was fresh and invigorating. Long, dreamy guitar breaks were enough to make your head spin with delight. The experience was euphoric.
The three band mates came on stage and started playing their album's beginning track, purposefully entitled "Intro." It set a wonderfully eerie pace for the show. You could see white X's that were illuminated through lights of dark blues and purples that darkened the stage.
When the first notes of "Crystalized" were heard, every person in the big, white tent got a jult of energy. They danced to every note. With great bass lines weaving their way through the sounds from the guitar, they sang "Do I have to keep up the pace to keep you satisfied?" As the song spiraled and picked up speed, it met an end with a request to "go slow, go slow" where the crowd seemed to heed their every command.
The ominous drone of chords opposing the voices of guitarist Romy Madley Croft and Bassist Oliver Sim was truly fantastic. When the two sang, they had an almost deadly-it's-so-beautiful combination. Oliver, who began "Fantasy" with vocals mixed between speaking and singing, illustrated a dark, outer realm unlike any place music has taken me before. It gave me chills.
Romy's voice is of a soothing quality that brings the Icelandic group Múm to mind. The slight hint of sadness in her voice when she sang "Infinity" reminded me of the whimpering, emotional vocals of Cocorosie. The way she played that guitar, so filled with emotion, gave me an ache in my chest. The song built as she answered Oliver by repeating over and over that she just "can't give it up." But "VCR" concluded the show on a cheery note with beats by Jamie Smith that reminded me of a child's lullaby. The other-worldliness of the show left me speechless. The XX show was worth the entire price of the Bonnaroo admission ticket.
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