San Jose-based synth/noise outfit Xiu Xiu (normally a trio, tonight a duo) performed a free show at Eclectic House tonight, to a largely mixed reception. Many (and the house was nearly full, on a Wednesday night during midterms/paper week, no less) were genuinely enthralled by the group’s singular blend of electro beats, noise guitar, and hyper-emotive vocals. Others—perhaps distracted by academic concerns, or seduced by the “free show” tag with little interest in the music, or disengaged by the lack of a visible stage and active band/crowd interaction—expressed boredom by talking loudly during the quiet bits. Thanks for coming.
Regardless, Xiu Xiu got the last laugh: the band closed the show with a 15-minute guitar/synth/cymbal drone piece that cycled well past the P-Safe-dictated midnight end time. Stay tuned for another Method Mag video roundup (show footage coupled with backstage interview), and click past the jump for some more photos.
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Jamie: […] Half of the songs tend to be the louder, more dance-y stuff, and the other half is the really quiet stuff. It’s really fascinating to play the really quiet stuff at a rock club, because about half of the time people are just there to get drunk and hang out and not really watch bands. So we’ll just play quieter and quieter and quieter and quieter. And sometimes amazingly, and god only knows why, people will be really cool about it and it’ll be like totally quiet, completely quiet. It’s really funny, in this bar that smells like urine, for it to be totally silent. It’s a really funny experience. It’s really either one way or the other. Always really quiet or always… like we’re not even playing, which is okay. It’s not people’s fucking job to be quiet when we’re playing, but it’s nice.Pitchfork: See, I really, really hate it when I go to shows and there are people who see the quiet parts as the parts when they can hear themselves the best.
Jamie: When I go to shows, I find it fucking annoying. Like, insanely annoying. But when I’m playing a show, I can’t, like, fucking demand that someone pay attention to me. We’re basically there to play a part in someone else’s night. But maybe they went to work, had a shitty day, and don’t give a fuck about Xiu Xiu, you know?From a 2003 (!) interview: http://pitchfork.com/features/interviews/5905-xiu-xiu/
Almonds and Elephants, that night:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk8x7CAJ0qY
congrats on the sweet pixx asshole. next time you should put your camera up his nostril so you can really get the full experience.
STOP DOING THIS. IT IS STUPID, DISRESPECTFUL AND OBNOXIOUS.
100% agreed. really fucking disrespectful, keep some fucking distance bro
FUCKING. THIS.
also, photographers, FLASH IS NEVER OKAY
IF YOU HAVE TO USE IT, BOUNCE IT OFF A WALL
SERIOUSLY
yeah, shitty crowd. the last song was definitely a big fuck-you to the audience. at least Jamey has a sense of humour
this band is legendary, why did they not come until now? fuck
-2010
roxing everybody to xleep apparenly
roxing everybody to xleep apparenly
1) Sweet shot of the table of musical equipment.
2) Wait, wait, wait–he was makin’ tunes on a hot pink DS?! If only I’d seen it with mine own eyes.