Jamie XX came to the Cow Palace on Saturday night, January 25th, as part of his In Waves tour, performing his third album of the same name. I’ve loved his music since his days with The XX, captivated by his clean, minimal, and atmospheric beats. Having seen him play at Portola this past September was so much fun that I knew a longer set was not to be missed.
Jamie took the stage with some vinyl records. Knowing that he improvises in his sets, I was curious about what he would surprise the crowd with. As soon as he transitioned from opener Avalon Emerson and started his set, I was lucky to be taking photos in front of the stage—because never in my life have I felt such a powerful and glorious bass flow through my entire body, massaging each of my atoms in disbelief. It was a slow beat, beautiful synths, vibrant vocals, and SUPER deep bass: it was “Wanna”, the intro track to In Waves. I was entranced, watching Jamie work with cool, calm focus, pausing intermittently to take in the moment and the flowing grooves. I’m so grateful for that moment in the pit, having all the space to dance right in front of massive speakers (much taller than my six-foot self)… and yet, the night still got better.
Jamie wove such a broad range of feels and styles throughout the night, with spontaneity—full of magic, and so alive. From fast-paced jungle and UK garage to hip-hop, soul, funk, reggae, and disco, Jamie earned the crowd’s trust. He could play anything, and he did. The ever-evolving music transitioned unexpectedly yet beautifully, with an exciting journey of moods and sounds. The lyrics in the track “Breather” say
“Be grateful for this present moment
The only moment that truly exists
…
Nothing exists except your breath now
Breathe in
And let go”
While that’s not something I’m used to reflecting on while listening to electronic music, with the ambient sounds and powerful beats, it hit me in my spirit. And throughout the show I embraced the moment, feeling the music and dancing, — it was hard not to.
Jamie XX played nearly all the songs from his new album, which were very familiar to me (having listened to the album a couple dozen times), and yet they felt completely fresh in the way they were mixed with other tracks—organic, smooth, and unpredictable in their transitions. The songs he brought in from other artists added so much to the show. For example, ‘Team Closing’ by Bryan Kessler had such an intense, high-energy cowbell beat. Funnily enough, I remember my partner, who came with me, screaming, ‘What the hell is this?!’ in amazement. I wonder if Jamie played it because we were at the Cow Palace. He also did an incredible mix with Madonna’s “Like a Prayer”, dropping the beat to let the acapella shine. A few times he also played the original soul and disco songs that he sampled in his tracks from In Waves, before transforming them into something completely new. Experiencing both was special and made it clear how much artistry he puts into transforming music into something fresh.
The crowd was awesome — few people were on their phones or talking, and there was just so much dancing. I kinda wish I had taken more photos from the crowd during the show, but honestly, I don’t regret it… I was happily lost in dance.
Review and photos by Slava Starikov
