There are bands whose power comes from volume, excess or spectacle. The xx have always existed in the opposite space: a world built on silence, restraint and the emotional weight of what is left unsaid. Since the release of their debut album xx in 2009, the London trio have created a sound where intimacy becomes something massive, proving that a whisper can sometimes reach further than a scream.

    At Primavera Sound Porto, The xx returned to Parque da Cidade carrying the weight of a catalogue that has become one of the defining sounds of the last fifteen years. Their appearance was one of the most anticipated moments of the festival, not only because of the strength of their songs, but because it marked the return of a band many had been waiting to experience together again. Since their last concerts as a group, fans had followed the individual journeys of Romy Madley Croft, Oliver Sim and Jamie xx, discovering their solo work and the different directions each member explored — but nothing quite compares to the feeling of seeing The xx as a complete band on stage.

    Their return was not simply a reunion with the past, but a reminder of why their music has remained so influential: because behind the minimal arrangements, the spaces between the notes and the understated performances, there has always been an extraordinary emotional intensity.

    The story of The xx has always been built around balance. Between Romy Madley Croft’s luminous melodies, Oliver Sim’s deeper and more introspective voice, and Jamie xx’s unique ability to transform simplicity into atmosphere, the band created a language that felt instantly recognisable. Their music was never about filling every space; it was about understanding the power of leaving room for emotion to breathe. That approach could have been difficult to translate to a festival environment. The intimacy of The xx has always belonged to darker rooms, closer audiences and moments of quiet concentration. Yet at Primavera Sound Porto, that vulnerability became their greatest strength. Instead of trying to compete with the scale of a festival stage, the band invited the audience into their own world.

    The performance opened with “Crystalised”, a song that immediately transported the crowd back to the beginning of the band’s journey, before moving through different chapters of their career with tracks such as “Say Something Loving”, “Islands”, “Angels” and “Night Time”. The set continued through the emotional landscape that has always defined The xx, with “Sunset”, “Fiction”, “Shelter”, “Infinity” and “VCR” showing how naturally their songs have survived the passing of time. One of the most fascinating aspects of The xx’s return is the way their individual journeys have become part of the band’s identity. Jamie xx’s evolution as a solo artist and producer, Romy’s exploration of a brighter and more expansive pop universe, and Oliver Sim’s deeply personal songwriting have all added new colours to the group’s collective sound. Rather than weakening the connection between them, those different paths have enriched what The xx can represent today. The inclusion of “I’ll Take Care of U”, the Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie xx collaboration, and the reinterpretation of “Shelter” through Jamie xx’s live remix, showed a band willing to look beyond nostalgia while remaining faithful to their original essence.

    Watching The xx live is also a lesson in the importance of chemistry. There is a unique conversation between the three members, a musical dialogue where every gesture matters and every pause has meaning. Nothing feels unnecessary. Every sound, every movement and every moment of silence exists for a reason.

    At Primavera Sound Porto, that precision did not make the performance feel distant; it created a connection. The audience was not simply watching a band perform familiar songs. They were witnessing a group that understands exactly what makes those songs special and refuses to dilute that emotion. The xx have always been a band of contrasts: electronic yet organic, fragile yet powerful, minimalist yet unforgettable. Their music lives in the space between two voices, between a beat and a silence, between personal memories and collective experiences. Those contrasts came together once again. The songs that introduced them to the world still carried the same emotional weight, while the perspective gained through years of individual exploration gave the performance a new depth. More than a return, The xx’s Primavera Sound Porto concert felt like a continuation. A reminder that some bands do not need to reinvent themselves constantly because their original vision was strong enough to keep evolving naturally.

    In a festival built around discovery and movement, The xx created something different: a moment of stillness. And sometimes, in the middle of all the noise, that is exactly what people are looking for.

Words by Sofia

Photos by Hugo Lima