Marquis Theater hosts resonating show

Photo courtesy of TENDER (Facebook)
TENDER AND XYLØ MAKE THE PERFECT COMBO FOR THE MARQUIS STAGE.

TENDER cultivates the perfect atmosphere

Opener XYLØ and headliner TENDER made their first appearance together in Denver at the Marquis Theater on February 15. Due to delays in another city, the bands almost didn’t make it, but by luck and determination they arrived, ready to put everything they had into another concert. The smaller venue housed the bands perfectly, producing a sense of closeness with the bands and the audience, music dancing its way off the stage and throughout the building. The artists also differed in genres but their music played into the sense of connection and a more euphoric state.

Recently solo artist, XYLØ, is a singer/songwriter from Los Angeles whose music mainly lies in the pop genre. The singer was joined on stage with her musicians in black and white attire, giving off a more rebellious vibe. The performance was determined and animated, shifting through her more popular songs like “yes & no” while also featuring a few lesser-known songs off of her newest album, The Ganglands of My Heart. The performance seemed a little awkward at times, with the crowd slow to respond and engage with the singer, but they soon came to. The jokes and commentary threaded through the performance by XYLØ seemed to ease the tension and end her part of the show with bobbing heads and bouncing hands.

As the band TENDER readied their set, fog machines cranked to full blast and a haze began to fill the stage. Neon colored lights positioned themselves throughout the venue and reflected off the fog that ultimately casted a blurred light over the band members who were all dressed uniformly in white tees. With no hesitation they delved into their intro and their set list. Mellow vocals flowed through the venue and the audience swayed to the music. The set featured many of their more popular songs, such as “Nadir” and “Outside” but held a variety in terms of sound and pace. The soft pace of the lead singers voice fed through the crowd and the instrumentals floated underneath, captivating the crowd. Each song left the audience swaying and bobbing their heads even without much movement onstage from the band itself. Their live performance was focused and driven, and although it goes without saying, it was ‘tender.’ 

Both artists displayed varying music sounds that seemed perfect for the smaller venue; a mix of energetic pop followed by more of a generic mellow sound that reached down to the core. The vocals and instrumentals seemed to resonate throughout the building for each set, creating a perfect atmosphere. 

Overall, both performances weren’t profusely decked out or surprising, but even without super tech-based sets and special designs, both bands played their hearts out and gave a well-done performance that left the audience clapping for an encore. 