Pinned up on the various columns around the venue were plain white pieces of A4 paper with “Xiu Xiu: 20:00 – 21:25” written upon them in permanent marker. Scuttling through the crowd, a masked figure stepped onto the stage holding what appeared to be a kettle and bottles of water. Jamie Stewart is revealed to be the possessor of these items and after this, Angela Seo and David Kendrick joined him to complete the band onstage. A brief pep talk followed by a ‘hands-in’ and the auditory onslaught followed.
Opening with ‘Pahrump’ from the latest album Ignore Grief, Xiu Xiu proved they still have it in them to be as grating as ever. The atmosphere was underpinned by oppressive synthesised sound that rang the ears and vibrated the chest and was pierced only by tight drums, wailing horn-type instruments and Stewart’s cries. Seo, acclimating to the small stage that Sneaky Pete’s possesses, struck a cymbal so hard it made its way into the front row of the crowd. Quickly recovered, and the group returned to creating a welcome cacophony. Between songs, the band was mostly silent. Aside
from the adjustment of knobs and dials here and there, it appeared they wanted to make the most of their time onstage, which was much appreciated.
‘Falling’ was the first cover of the evening, having recorded it in 2016 on their album, Plays the Music of Twin Peaks. What was heard was certainly a departure from Julee Cruise’s soft reverbed vocals
and Angelo Badalamenti’s sombre instrumentation. This distorted rendition (although one of the tamer cuts on Xiu Xiu’s cover album) stirred emotion throughout the venue. The soaring synthesisers
provided a springboard for guitar overtones that spanned the depths of hell to the gates of heaven, raised higher by precise fills executed by Kendrick. Stewart’s delivery of David Lynch’s lyrics appeared to reframe their meaning. The refrain, “Don’t let yourself be hurt this time” elicited different imagery when placed amongst the plethora of heavy topics that Xiu Xiu broach throughout their discography.
Another notable moment was ‘Apistat Commander’ from A Promise. This song clearly demonstrated the progression of the band considering the live rendition vastly transformed the studio version in many ways. The once precise synthesiser plucks and hits with toy-like drum machine percussion became acoustic drums and distorted guitar which took a moment to adjust to. Though still with the same emotional sentiment, the vocal delivery was noticeably toned down from the recording which was an interesting choice and possibly demonstrated Stewart’s meditations on the songs subject.
Though there is a typical electronic haze that Xiu Xiu generates, there are also quieter, acoustic arrangements to be found within their 16 studio albums. One of these that has consistently appeared in their 2023 setlists is ‘Petite’ from Forget (2017). However, this was transported from its acoustic origins to a cymbal-filled, electric guitar ballad for which the venue was silent in any moment of pause, awaiting Stewart’s next murmur and strum. The rhythm was less structured in this performance as the song undulates between the deep swells of emotion during the chorus and the bleak and muted verses. This version sacrificed an element of closeness and vulnerability and instead favoured a distant but still dishevelled tone. ‘Fabulous Muscles’ of the eponymous 2004 album hit a similar note to ‘Petite’ in its live delivery but was still raw and impactful where needed.
More lively moments throughout the gig included a cover of New Order’s ‘Ceremony’. A rather straightforward moment for the band, very well executed and made to sound their own. ‘Rumpus Room’ really let the drum section shine, frolicking much more loosely. It was a very enjoyable call back to 2021’s OH NO, which got the audience bouncing.
All of a sudden, those two chords blared, and nothing mattered anymore. The once stringed instrumentation swaying on the opening of the track ‘Ian Curtis Wishlist’ meant this was likely to be
the rawest moment of the set so far. Hearing the words, “Do you love me, Jamie Stewart?” screeched by the man himself, 20 years after the songs release was a standout moment. Shortly after this, the wall of synthesisers came, and resistance was futile. A visceral and impassioned soundscape rose out of mechanical grunts that reached into your soul and tore it in two. The song was a bitter
reminder of every unrequited love experienced, as the lyrics espoused such.
Stewart thanked the audience and proclaimed the band had one last song, which turned out to be ‘Girl with Basket of Fruit’. The upbeat and unhinged track was a fitting close to a great set.
Image courtesy of Cameron Donnelly