The xx
Sep 01
We See Them
Where: SWG3 Galvanizer’s Yard
When: 29 August 2017
Support: Perfume Genius; Nilufer Yanya
Outside gigs in Glasgow, even in August, are always a weather gamble but tonight, the first of two nights at SWG3’s Galvanizer’s Yard for the South Londoners, remains dry. The band are anything but dry and the set ignites from the first bars of the first song, ‘Crystalised’, and just keeps building in intensity and joy, probably peaking in the trio of the beefed up ‘Shelter’, their rendition of Jamie xx’s ‘Loud Places’ and ‘On Hold’.
Both Oliver Sim (voc/bs) and Romy Madley Croft (voc/gui) and in fine vocal fettle but it is Romy who provides one of the set highlights with her solo performance of ‘Performance’ – which earns her a friendly hug from Oliver at its end. Their bass and guitar playing are also very good whilst Jamie xx keeps the beats rolling, giving their music both its foundation and propulsion. For a band who made their reputation on a sound that managed to wrangle New Order beats into a quieter, sparser sound it is a revelation to see them transformed into a bolder, louder, more confident trio – especially evident in the command of the stage by Romy and Oliver.
The set lent heavily on their first album (xx) and their latest album (I See You) – I only noticed one song from Coexist, although that was the imperious ‘Angels’ which provided the set closer. The crowd also provides a good sign that this is a band who, if they want to, could be around for a long time – the crowd was very diverse in age, gender, and (if this is discernible from dress sense and general behaviour) inclination but were united in their joy of and love for the band.
Finally, should give a shout out for the sheer chutzpah of Perfume Genius!
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