Live Review: The xx, Jagwar Ma

The Convention Centre doesn't suffer from the same atmosphere of cold detachment that buries the Entertainment Centre as a live venue, but it is still far too large to give any sense of intimacy. Particularly for support acts, without the benefit of pyrotechnics or light shows, it's hard to appeal to the crowds scattered in their distant seats. Jagwar Ma do their best though, bouncing around the stage with a palpable energy, and while the sound feels pitched a little high – above the audience rather than around them – it's certainly loud enough to fill the venue.

The early part of their set is curiously sunny compared to the headliners tonight, more suited for a beach party, and the songs tend to plateau rather than building to any satisfying peak. When they turn to techno halfway through, rather than the psychedelia that dominates much of the earlier tracks, the songs are much more enjoyable, but the band shows their influences too clearly. Underworld and The Crystal Method are obvious touchstones and while Jagwar Ma's take on the style is competent, there's a nagging sense of having heard it before.

The show tonight hasn't sold out, but it didn't miss out by much and as The XX take the stage, they wave humbly, acknowledging the crowd before launching into opener Try. Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim are in startling voice tonight, their breathy vocals sitting gently above the music, merging together perfectly with the same plaintive longing that defines their albums. Slowed down and even further pared back, Crystalised becomes darker, more electronic, and Chained aches with loss.

The songs continue to stray significantly from their recorded versions for much of the set. While they lose some of their pop intensity in translation, the emotions become clearer, more of a dominant focus. It's interesting to see what amounts to remixes of their work and speaks of a guiding curiosity within the band.

Tracks seem to run up against the limits of the sound-system quite often: sub-bass thrums, crackles, and fades; high guitar lines feel lost in the cavernous venue. When the songs are this sparse it seems strange to have any noticeable issues, but perhaps when every note counts, any problems, however minor, stand out.

The lighting tonight creates a sense of spectacle in an otherwise minimal stage show. Giant flat planes of light float and sway above the crowd, buoyed on clouds of smoke. When the set closes with an intense version of Infinity, they flash too fast for the eye to follow, falling out of phase with sight, as an ocean of illuminated screens try to capture the image. While it's not music that can sit comfortably in an arena environment, The XX have done a commendable job of adapting to the venue without losing what makes the band special.