Posts Tagged ‘Xiu Xiu’

Blood_Music_BirthdaysStage lighting in cold electric blue tone gave no indication of what were going to experience during this gig especially from the set of Blood Music. Personally, I was utterly unprepared for the sound and emotional vibrations that the support group would spread inside the venue. With two releases so far ‘Orphee/Sea of Leaves‘ and ‘Blood Music EP‘, Blood Music’s performance seemed to fulfill a personal goal for the band and their inventiveness when it came to playing instruments in unconventional ways seemed to impress everyone. They gave their all while playing. With abstract and hypnotic vocals they created a ritual atmosphere which echoed tribal ceremonies making them sound like a combination of Haus Arafna and Mind Necrosis Factor. However, as their inventiveness developed further the band found different ways of incorporating vocals with a hip hop aesthetic to their songs. It was a pleasure watching Simon Pomery handling so many instruments and switches while also singing, even though I found myself wondering whether the electric guitar would ‘survive’ his experiments. I will be expecting to see them live again soon as they created a feeling of eagerness in me.

Xiu Xiu appeared on stage in order to set up their instruments and already Jamie Stewart seemed on edge after throwing an empty beer bottle that was left on stage right next to a person in the audience. Respecting the announced stage times, Shayna Dunkelman and Jamie Stewart begun their show by performing some sort of salute to each other at the back of the stage. (more…)

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Xiu Xiu is not your average post punk/experimental band. They belong to the wider post punk scene but they actually create a music genre of their own. The band started in 2002 from San Jose in California and Angela Seo has joined Jamie Stewart in 2009. 

Last year Xiu Xiu played at Koko as the support band for Swans during ‘Mouth to Mouth’ mini festival which was curated by Michael Gira. During this live performance Jamie Stewart offered a rather acoustic set and the setlist included revisions of older country/gospel songs. This year, having already released two aesthetically opposite albums, the electrifying ‘Angel Guts: Red Classroom‘ and the more melodical/acoustic/country ‘Unclouded Sky‘, they are visiting London for two shows at Birthdays in Stoke Newington. On the 21st James Blackshaw will be the support band while on the 22nd Blood Music will be on stage before Xiu Xiu.
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