A warm Spring breeze wafted through the open doors of the Jackpot and carried the sounds from the concert within to the streets of Lawrence. For those driving by with their windows down, they might have been surprised by the strange sounds crashing against their pop radio stations blasting the likes of Miley Cyrus and the Black Eyed Peas. Confused by the clicks and crashes and African beats, these drivers would drive on and perhaps reach to turn up their dial. Not all music genres are for everyone.
However, for those inside the Jackpot, the music was a wonderful menagerie of dance anthems and lyrical masterpieces evoking a vast array of emotions. The aforementioned acts are Xiu Xiu and Tune-Yards.
Tune-Yards is primarily Merrill Garbus building afro-beats with loops of her guitar and tom drums. Sometimes she sings in English, other times in African and sometimes I suspect she’s just making it up. She has a coy smile, like she’s taking great amusement in watching people take in a blonde, white girl sing these soulful tribal African songs. Once I got over my own initial surprise of her throat-like guttural vocals, I quickly moved to from shocked to impressed. She showed excellent control of her song build ups and an even more control over the audience. A small group of dancers formed at the front doing almost trancelike stomp steps. When Garbus said jump, everyone jumped. It was raw and bizarre, but a ridiculously fun set.
When it came time for Xiu Xiu (pronounced Shoe Shoe) to begin their set, Jamie Stewart and the newest official band member Angela Seo quietly took the stage. Stewart gently gripped the mic and began to sing. It was so quiet, that the crowd chatter continued to buzz for just a moment before eyes returned to the stage and attention to the show was restored. It’s the power of Xiu Xiu—that they can begin without fanfare and demand attention in such a fashion. A bizarre web of cymbals and electronic buttons were commanded by Seo adding appropriate flourishes to Stewart’s lyrics about politics and self image. Like the opener, Tune-Yards, it was raw and bizarre, but beautiful. This is a band that fans listen to on vinyl, lying in beds, staring at ceilings and reflecting on the world.
I think everyone who turned up that night were surprised to see that they were not alone in their love for these very far left of mainstream bands, but glad to see that they don’t have to keep such special genius a secret to just themselves.
