Photos by James Nagel // Written by Molly Kish //
Jamie xx //
Fox Theater Oakland – Oakland
October 9th, 2015 //
2015 has been a monumental year for London-based producer Jamie Smith, aka Jamie xx. Taking a break from his previous gig as half of The xx, Smith has broadened his production palette as a solo artist, reigning remix king and mastermind behind the summer of 2015’s largest contemporary electronic crossover hit “Good Times” featuring Young Thug and Popcann.
In further exploring his influences in dubstep, house and trip-hop, Smith delivered one of 2015’s standout solo debuts with In Colour (read our review here). Previewing his new material over the past six months, he has been bringing his epic DJ sets to select cities throughout Europe and the U.S.
Last Friday, Smith performed his second-to-last North American date at the Fox Theater Oakland to a mesmerized, sold-out crowd. Transforming the 2,800-person venue into a spellbinding disco hall, Jamie xx exceeded expectations, delivering what can be contested as the theater’s most paramount electronic set of the year.
Throughout his tour, Smith has refused to compromise his individual style for the sake of appeasing either extreme of his now commercially hybrid audience. Whereas those familiar with his early XL Records mixtapes were satiated by his intermingling of Gil Scott-Heron and Idris Muhammad samples between hits, his newfound post-In Colour fans experienced equally breathtaking moments with the crowd hitting peak energy levels during the encore chorus of “Loud Places” amidst the glow of a warped-speed, neon-green strobe light. Other notable moments included the near-religious choral drop of “Gosh” that escalated the packed house to spiritual levels of enthusiasm, bathed in the glowing sparkle of Smith’s staggeringly iridescent ceiling to floor disco ball and stage lights.
Although many were taken aback by Smith’s unconventional approach to a large-scale theater performance, ultimately everyone left with a clearer understanding of his role as both an individual artist and proliferant tastemaker in the current state of contemporary EDM. Serving as a view into the mind of both an aesthete and master of his craft, the “In Colour” tour offers an in-depth portrayal of what Jamie xx has accomplished thus far in his career.
Already touting an impressive genre-bending legacy, Smith’s album and incredible live sets are a testament to not only his past success as an accomplished producer, but also as a glimpse into the future progression of what he intends to bring to the table as an incipient electronic powerhouse.
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