The London band The xx was one of the most talked-about acts at South by Southwest this past March. Last night, at its first Bonnaroo appearance, the band solidified itself as more than a flash in the pan. In fact, some might argue that the band's hour-plus set was excessively tight — that it sacrificed a bit of Bonnaroo spontaneity in favor of cleanliness.
That being said, it's tough to fault a band for sounding too good. The songs are smart and melodically complex, yet fun. Though the group was obscured by bright backlight and billows of smoke, the audience couldn't get enough, as it clapped and sang along with set highlights "Crystalised" and "VCR." For its first Bonnaroo rodeo, The xx succeeded quite nicely.
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