Xiu Xiu
Set Blasters on Stun
Words: James Ferreira
Photos: Michael Spadoni

Xiu Xiu brought their unique brand of goth synth-pop to Tampa on a Tuesday evening in early October.  A brand new sense of hope and adventure washed over me at the opportunity to experience something new.  Xiu Xiu, a Reax staff favorite, had been largely unnoticed by me until now.  The show would bring me to the sight of my kidney and liver’s own personal crying game, the Orpheum in Ybor City.  Although it’s one Tampa’s most charming venues, I couldn’t help but be concerned about how the band’s complex sound would translate inside.  The answer would pretty much some up my night: pleasantly surprised.  Whilst most of  my crew for the evening explained that their last show in Tampa may have been a bit more energetic and perhaps more captivating, I couldn’t help but be impressed by the intricately constructed melodies and fascinating sounds the duo turned trio was able to create on stage and bestow upon the crowd. 

Jamie Stewart belted out guttural lyrics with a genuine sense of pain and reality consistently causing me to wonder why it was I had never given this band a listen despite constant buzz amongst several of my dearest friends.  While some of them voiced a bit of disappointment with the performance due to the fact that some material wasn’t played, I greatly enjoyed it.  The Orpheum never ceases to surprise me, and this night held true to that sentiment, as I thought the sound was strikingly brilliant.  This was fittingly the same way I felt by Xiu Xiu’s performance.  I left changed and eager for more.