Jamie xx brings ‘In Waves’ to Manila
Jamie xx recently kicked off the Asian leg of his “In Waves” tour here in Manila. He’s been here twice before, performing with his band The xx, in 2013 and 2018, and while he also delivered a memorable solo DJ set at the much-missed XX XX club (no relation) during the latter visit, this occasion marked his first time performing in the country as a solo act.
The tour supporting his much-awaited second solo album, “In Waves,” started in his home base of London with a pop-up club before taking a turn to South America. Following Asia, he has stops in Australia before proceeding on to North America.
“In Waves” follows his debut, “In Colour,” though “follows” is used generously here; “In Colour” came out nine years ago, with a third xx album and worldwide pandemic lockdown in between. “Colour” was a standout in 2015, and Jamie xx has been continuously performing at festivals and clubs since, excepting, of course, the lockdown, which prompted this second album to finally get off the ground. When Karpos announced they would be bringing his “In Waves” tour to Manila, many fans were rightfully excited.
The show at the Filinvest Tent began with opening act George C, though again, “opening act” here is used generously; his set was of equal length to the main act. Sporting a monochrome red light scheme throughout, C’s set maintained a more somber, steady tempo before picking up more speed considerably toward the end.
Full capacity
When Jamie xx took control of the decks, the venue was just about full to capacity; to welcoming applause, a smile on his face and a friendly wave, his set began in earnest with “Wanna,” itself the opener of the new album, a table-setter of sorts, some tentative chords on a piano with sampled vocals before blooming with bass and percussion.
From there it was a stellar set with appropriate peaks and valleys, set-ups and climaxes, honed by 15 years’ experience and road-testing material with audiences. There was even a comedown interlude with full-on disco tunes.
When a DJ who makes his own music plays a show, you don’t expect to hear every song fully, and that was the case here. Some songs are remix versions, some feature entirely new arrangements, but others get the showcase of being their familiar, known selves.
Not every song from “In Colour” was on the set list, which is too bad since he didn’t get to tour the album here. But choice cuts made an appearance, notably “Gosh” and “Loud Places,” which were accompanied by a shift in the lighting design that evoked the “In Colour” album cover.
Unique lighting
The lighting design of the show was unique. Minimalist and sparse like some The xx tracks, no harsh light was ever directly on Jamie xx. He was usually backlit, silhouetted for the crowd, or with soft ambient lighting from underneath or either side. Every now and then dazzling colors would shine behind him, like with the “In Colour” cuts.
But there were also two “light towers” among the audience, close to the back, one on either side. These would pop every now and then with strobes of different colors at specific moments to surprising effect. There was also a disco ball on the left tower, which for certain songs would get lit up by a powerful beam from the stage, making for a surreal dancehall effect.
As Jamie xx cycled through his discography, including some non-album tracks that he put out during the lockdown like “Kill Dem” and “Let’s Do It Again,” he would spread out “In Waves” tracks. “Waited All Night,” which features his The xx bandmates Romy and Oliver Sim, was in the first half, as was “Treat Each Other Right.”
Crowd favorites like “Life,” which features house goddess Robyn, were saved for the cathartic climax, the show bowing out with Honey Dijon giving instructions on “Baddy on the Floor,” with its klaxon announcing its arrival, before a triumphant spree of digital horns.
As he returned for an encore, Jamie xx finally let the house lights come up at the end of true show ender “Good Times,” allowing the crowd and artist to see each other, having shared a memorable evening, one many have been waiting for. Hopefully it won’t take too long for the next time.
