At 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 10, dozens of people filed into Coffeehouse on East Campus to see the ineffable band Xiu Xiu. The formerly Durham-based band is on a fall U.S. tour for their newest album “13" Frank Beltrame Italian Stiletto with Bison Horn Grips,” usually shortened to “13”.”
If Xiu Xiu had to be assigned a genre, the closest would be experimental rock or indie. But just listening to one of their songs shows how ill-fitting that label is. Their songs range from almost lo-fi to music befitting haunted houses that aspire to make people cry in fear. The band’s music is unsettling and provoking yet strangely good; even if it is not for everyone, Xiu Xiu’s artistry prevails.
Despite their niche appeal, Xiu Xiu’s audience was quite diverse, consisting of people both young and old, both Duke affiliated and not, both soccer mom and punk rocker. Some attendees waited nearly an hour in the tiny venue’s parking lot for the doors to open. As lead vocalist Stewart warmed up his voice inside by repeating “meow” in different ways, the line dwellers overheard him through open windows while they chatted about their excitement for the concert.
Duke students Ixa Singler (T ‘28) and Ella Smullen (T ‘28) expressed their enthusiasm to see Xiu Xiu perform, even though they each only knew a few songs. Singler went to the show primarily to accompany his younger sibling Oli, who is in high school and has been a fan for the past three years.
“The last song on [13”], I think it's called ‘Piña, Coconut & Cherry.’ When I listened to it, I actually felt my brain expand,” Oli said.
Perhaps disappointingly for Oli, the band did not play “Piña, Coconut & Cherry.” The set list was more of an Eras Tour and sampled from over four albums, with only two songs belonging to their newest album.
Coffeehouse provided complimentary — and much needed — earbuds to anyone who wanted them for hearing protection, in addition to their typical menu of coffee, tea and hot chocolate.
“I personally really value the spirit [of Coffeehouse] … [it has] interesting people that constantly stimulate you in terms of music, art and everything,” said Lilian Fan (T ‘26), the booking manager for the venue.
If there is one band that could provide said stimulation, it is Xiu Xiu. Though their music is hardly appealing to a mainstream audience, their authentic integrity was reflected in their performance’s vulnerability, often touching on sensitive and traumatic subjects like suicidal ideation. Stewart’s iconic quivering wails are disturbing, but still have a way of entrancing the listener.
Throughout the show, audience members were engrossed, nodding their heads in sync to the music. The lead singer, Jaime Stewart, sang so vigorously that he visibly spat into the crowd. He accompanied the vocal performance with a collection of eclectic instruments, including a kazoo, a gong and a bright red shaker stick, which produced a hollow percussive sound. Some songs sounded like incantations or prose read aloud, while others were more like typical popular music.
Following the performance, Singler stated that his “life had changed” and that it had been a very emotionally impactful experience.
Rowan, a student from Appalachian State University, found out about the band’s Duke performance on Instagram and traveled to the show. He expressed great admiration for Stewart and explained that he appreciates how their newest album incorporates “traditional Western structure,” although he admitted that he has not “fully digested” the album yet.
Xiu Xiu last performed at Coffeehouse in 2018, but the city of Durham has been part of their artistic journey since 2008. Current bandmate Angela Seo (Law ‘2012) was recruited from the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her bachelor's degree. Seo and Stewart moved to Durham so that she could attend Duke Law School. Since graduating twelve years ago, she has remained keyboardist and backup vocalist for Xiu Xiu.
“It's confusing. Some things are completely the same, and other things are really, really different. [Returning to Duke] also makes me reflect on my life and think about, oh, God, have I come really far or not far at all?” Seo said when asked what it was like to be back on campus.
Stewart and Seo infamously did not enjoy their time in Durham. Stewart in particular struggled to find an adequately diverse artistic scene and frequently experienced homophobia.
“More than a few times I have wished that my rotten little town of Durham, NC would be destroyed by a fire storm,” Stewart wrote in 2009.
Despite lasting animosity towards the city, Xiu Xiu still reached out to Coffeehouse to add Durham to their extensive list of touring cities. The band’s dedication to their audience was clearly the driving factor of their performance. Xiu Xiu gave themselves to the audience rather than just easy harmonies and catchy tunes. That earnest vulnerability is what makes Xiu Xiu so popular.
Following the show, Xiu Xiu sold merchandise and held a meet & greet. One dedicated fan went up to each member and gave them hand-written cards and gifts, including a chocolate croissant plush for Seo.
While the concert may not have been as popular as Ed Sheeran, many of the attendees were dedicated fans or at least curiously eager to hear Xiu Xiu’s music, which proved to be creative and quite unorthodox.
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Sonya Lasser is a Trinity first-year and a staff writer for Recess.