Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff
Fri 17 Mar
When this show was announced back in November by the people behind the Swn festival, there were slaps on backs all round. A couple of months shy of releasing their third LP I See You to critical acclaim and with lead single On Hold as a worthy teaser, the promise of a first visit by The xx to the Welsh capital in almost five years had an enthusiastic crowd chomping at the proverbial bit. And it’s with good reason: the UK leg of this tour (outside of the slew of inevitable festival dates) is only taking in four cities, of which Cardiff is the last – coming as it does straight after a seven-date sell-out residency at the Brixton Academy.
The news was obviously accompanied by some nervous tension surrounding the choice of venue. Cardiff’s Motorpoint Arena is the music venue equivalent of Marmite. Some feel that The xx’s brand of stripped-down electronica and dreampop may get lost in this colossal sports hall-cum-conference centre – but on the other hand, where else are you going to put a band who have sold out the previous seven nights in one of London’s most respected venues?
This promises to be a memorable show, especially now that the band are armed with a further album of magnificent songs to add to their already small but perfectly formed back catalogue.
Tickets: £27.50 (sold out – check box office for returns). Info: 029 2022 4488