When concert organiser VIJI Corp announced that British indie band The xx would be performing at Thunderdome Muang Thong Thani, I was concerned. The hall boasts a notoriously horrid sound system, potentially able to completely wreck the band's minimalistic and hypnotic sound.
Yet this past Monday, despite the cackling and way-too-loud bass that at times had me covering my ears to stop them exploding, Romy Madley Croft (vocals, guitar), Jamie xx (percussion, DJ) and Oliver Sim (vocals, bass) somehow delivered a stunning, spellbindingly intimate concert that took their audience away from the usual Monday blues.
It almost doesn't make sense how they sound even better live than in their recordings -- especially with the faulty sound system. But it was the amalgamation of Croft's simple guitar riffs and breathy voice, Sim's subtle bass lines and soft singing, and Jamie xx's foot-tapping remixes that gave even more emotion and life to their sad and introspective songs.
The trio started off in the darkness with Intro -- their most famous instrumental piece from their debut 2009 album xx. The countless lights which surrounded the band then pulsated along with the mesmerising beat as the crowd swayed and screamed in excitement. Known as the shyest band in Britain, they looked pretty confident in what they were doing. Croft stood on stage left, swaying with the music as she played her guitar, Sims on stage right was swooping his bass around, and Jamie xx was stage centre behind a glossy turntable, bouncing his head up and down to the beat.
They played their most crowd-pleasing songs from their first albums back to back (Crystalised, Say Something Loving, Islands and Heart Skipped A Beat) as if asking for forgiveness for taking so long to come perform in Thailand. And Sim, in his shy and polite manner, did apologise for taking so long to get here.
Playing an 18-song set which only lasted about an hour-and-a-half, among the highlights were the band's new and polished versions of their old songs like Dangerous, I Dare You, Shelter and Loud Places which led into an unexpectedly fun solo EDM remix by Jamie xx.
Working the turntable alone as Sim and Croft stepped back for him to bask in the spotlight, the band suddenly turned their indie concert into an EDM gig in the blink of an eye. It was a transition that could never work on paper, but somehow the band managed to completely entrance the audience with it.
The trio captivated with their kindness and intimacy as well. Somehow, they made every single person in the audience feel special in the large hall. Whenever they could, the musicians took time to thank the audience and apologise for whatever they thought was going wrong.
"I first of all apologise," said Sim. "I've just quit smoking and it sounds like I've just hit puberty. If this is your first time in one of our shows, all I could ever hope for is that our shows are a good opportunity to leave whatever is causing you pain at home and just enjoy yourself here."
And their hopes proved true. Ending the night with Croft's magical voice in Angels, everything was forgotten, and the only thing everyone could focus on that night were the stunning lights and sounds of The xx.
The XX Live in Bangkok chattakan kosol
