[ATTENDED: September 17, 2018] Xordox
When The The announced that they were touring for the first time in 18 years, I knew I was going to go, even if it meant dragging myself through the $15 Lincoln Tunnel. (How do people afford that every day?).
I noted the opening acts: Agnes Obel will appear on all dates as a special guest, except the September 16 show at Brooklyn Steel where Elsyian Fields will open and the September 17 gig at the Beacon Theater where XORDOX (aka JG Thirlwell/Foetus), a frequent THE THE collaborator, will open.
I really like Agnes Obel and I put her on my list of people I wanted to see live. So I was a little bummed that she didn’t play for my show. But at the same time, Xordox is the creation of the legendary JG Thirwell, whom I have never seen before either. Thirwell is probably best know for his group Foetus, but is more recently known as the guy who scores the new Archer seasons. And that’s pretty great.
Every incarnation of Thirwell sounds different from the previous one (with a different pseudonym: Clint Ruin, Frank Want, and Foetus), so who knew what Xordox would sound like.
For this incarnation, Thirwell is Manorexia.
The stage went dark and two men (I assumed) wearing bright headlamps came out to a set of instruments. The guys (Thirwell, left and Simon Hanes) then proceeded to play 30 some minutes of instrumental music that veered between a kind of industrial Philip Glass and a more soothing (but still eerie) new age.
There was an air of menace at times, but also a sense of uplift (as they pumped fists). Nobody spoke, but there were breaks between each song. Three of four songs in, Manorexia played a very cool solo on the theremin.
I wanted to close my eyes and get absorbed by the music, but the visuals behind them were also fascinating–like something that was trying to slowly take over.
For what I believe was the last song, Manorexia came out and “sang.” The singing was actually speaking in a highly processed robotic voice. Almost inaudible, mostly just adding a new sound to the waves of music.
I’m not exactly sure it worked with The The–very different styles, but it was interesting to witness and fun to finally experience Thirwell in action.
Setlist
- Corridor
- Pink Eye
- Antidote
- Diamonds
- Destination: Infinity
Leave a Reply