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Crowd love greets The xx in Manila

Jamie Smith, Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim of The xx live in Manila. (Photo by Niña Sandejas)

I had expected to arrive to a subdued and sentimental crowd waiting to see The xx play Manila last July 30, but I was wrong.

The Manila crowd responded to the band with loud screams of adoration which overpowered the NBC Tent at The Fort in Bonifacio Global City, the first time I’ve seen the venue packed to the brim.

Tickets had sold out and people were lined up outside the tent for several hours. Some hoped they could snag a spot at the front row. Others waited to see if they could get a hold of additional tickets released on the day of the concert itself.

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‘Salamat’ from the band

When the show started with opening acts Taken by Cars and UpDharmaDown, people were still entering the venue.

The overwhelming number of people who went to see The xx made members Oliver Sim, Jamie Smith and Romy Madley Croft respond with much gratitude, with Croft actually uttering “salamat” to the crowd’s approval.

The trio did not disappoint: the group paired their atmospheric art music with the lights they used during their set at the Fuji Rock Festival a few days before.

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Best lights ever

Those lights may have made history as the best the Philippines has ever seen. Lasers fanned over the crowd and crisscrossed the front of the stage as the band’s last songs came to a close.

The whole concert was an emotional 17-song journey, with songs like “Crystalised,” “Shelter” and “VCR,” to name a few, taken from the band's two albums: 2009’s “xx” and 2012’s “Coexist.” They created waves of memories for each and everyone who was there.

After the 14th song, the band left the stage and the crowd started chanting, “We want more!” again and again until The xx returned with a solid encore.

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Exceeded expectations

It included the famous instrumental mix “Intro,” which was a delight to finally hear live.

With The xx, the quiet moments in between the notes music magnify the complexity of their compositions, as any “mistake” would be more apparent.

Although the songs played that night sounded almost exactly like their records, the entire show far exceeded my expectations.

It wasn’t your typical live show with rock star performers showing off their skills. Rather, it was a show that combined music, atmospherics and audience adoration into an experience of sustained moments.

Niña Sandejas would like thank Random Minds Productions.