Cigarettes After Sex, an indie band known for their dream-like, romantic and often melancholic songs, performed on the ninth stop of their X’s North American Tour at State Farm Arena last Saturday.
Beginning as early as 5 p.m., cars on State Farm Dr. witnessed a ubiquitous sight of fans dressed head-to-toe in various shades of black and gray, standing eagerly outside the gates, anxious for merchandise, vinyl records, CDs and more. As if lead singer and founder Greg Gonzalez was not atypical enough with his notable androgynous voice and laid-back demeanor, the concert began promptly around 9 p.m. with no opener present. Instead, the group prefers to set the mood for their shows with screens showcasing clips synonymous with those featured on their social media — typically a black-and-white video of a woman dancing arbitrarily with her lover, the viewer unable to detect whether her face displays a look of love or loathing.
Following the end of the notable choice “Enjoy the Silence” by Depeche Mode, the group began their performance with the titular song of their album/tour: “X’s.” From the very beginning, fans were placed in the intimate setting the band’s songs try so hard to simulate. With both screens providing a close-up view of Gonzalez hidden by a pair of sunglasses and illuminated in a bright white light against a shadowy black background, fans became entranced by the lulling atmosphere the band emulates.
It was not until the second or third song that the concert reached a different level of intimacy, following the exchange of the shadowy black backdrop for a giant, close-up screen of Gonzalez playing guitar, accompanied by adjacent screens featuring Jacob Tumsky (drums) and Randy Miller (bass guitar).
The group alternated between new songs from their X’s album and older, more well-known songs such as “Cry,” “K.” and “Sunsetz.” Unlike most pop musicians, Gonzalez prioritizes a more non-verbal, corporeal way of communicating and connecting with the audience, only speaking to greet the crowd and thank them for coming at the very end. Instead, he removes his shades and urges fans to analyze every line on his face and read every word from his lips as the screen captures up-close angles of his visage as he sings with his eyes closed for a majority of the concert.
Despite being the main attraction, Cigarettes After Sex functions less like a performing band and more like a well-used jukebox tucked away in the corner of a bar. The ambiance of this Twilight Zone is dynamic; the vibe of the concert adapts as the crowd meshes deeper with the rhythm of the music. All around, fans can be seen dancing with their groups or partners, phones used less for filming and more as flashlights, emulating the spirit of a starry night sky for the band to look across.
With the start of the sixth song on their titular album, “Dark Vacay,” it is clear the music is bigger than the musicians themselves. The lyrics and harmonies are merely the foundation; the words and tones are the letters, but it is the audience that turns those letters into words and images, picturing their own experiences and feelings to the setting of Gonzalez’s. The performance is a showcase of beautiful, explicit, hazy melodies that encapsulate a paradoxical feeling of youth, a ruminative high and the maturity of a relationship filled with promise and urgency. Even if one has never held hands romantically, the experiences and emotions Gonzalez presents do not feel inaccessible or obsolete.
The band continued, performing more of their hits from older albums rather than from “X’s.” The concert followed a very routine, almost formulaic cycle of performances: the band plays; the song ends; the lights turn off; the audience claps; Gonzalez plays a chord; the audience screams; lights come on; rinse and repeat. However, the work does not feel slow, tired or boring. Instead, the repetition allows for introspection, a prelude before the contact high that is the next song.
As Gonzalez began the fan favorite “Kiss It Off Me,” fans could be seen holding one another and swaying, using their flashlights as torches once again, making it seem as though the band was performing outdoors. While the group continued to play older songs, it became abundantly clear how brief this experience would be, as it only lasted a little more than an hour and ended when Gonzalez thanked Atlanta for showing the band love and support. The group then broke out into the last, and arguably most anticipated, song of the night: their most popular tune “Apocalypse.”
The stadium roared with cheers as the opening electric guitar ballad began. The entire crowd sang loudly and ferociously, a direct contrast to Gonzalez, who maintained his cool, relaxed demeanor the entire show.
As unconventional as the band may appear, they are not immune to pulling the oldest trick in the book. As soon as “Apocalypse” ended, fans began gathering their things, anxious to leave the arena and face the inevitable late-night traffic. It was at this moment that Gonzalez began playing the actual final song of the night, “Opera House,” a song many fans ended up staying for but did not sing. It was with this last melody that the concert truly was over. Fans rustled to grab bags and food as the aisles overflowed with people antsy to leave.
Overall, the experience of attending a Cigarettes After Sex concert on a night out in Atlanta was an immeasurable one. The group maximized their time in the most efficient way to provide a spectacular performance that was a true representation of their repertoire. By including songs from the past and the present, both new and older fans are able to witness a performance that transcends the minds of the most casual listeners. On their one night in the Gate City, Cigarettes After Sex provided a night of blissful surreality, a melodic salvation and terse nirvana.