On September 30th, I had the privilege of experiencing the enchanting sound of Cigarettes After Sex at the Moda Center. As an El Paso native, I was thrilled to learn that this El Paso-born band was making its way to the Pacific Northwest. Founded by Greg Gonzalez in 2008, the band recorded their first EP at the University of Texas at El Paso as an experiment. That initial endeavor blossomed into the ethereal magic we know today as Cigarettes After Sex. However, it wasn’t until they moved to Brooklyn and released the single “Affection” that they finally received the recognition they truly deserved.
Fast forward to February 28, 2024, when they announced their new studio album, *X’s*, along with the X’s World Tour. While waiting for the show to begin, the projectors displayed montages of various artists, including a touching tribute to Selena Quintanilla, a Texan-born Mexican American known for her Tejano music and being the first latina to win a Grammy. Watching the montage to her song “Como La Flor” filled me with warmth. This wasn’t surprising, as Gonzalez had mentioned in an interview about re-finding love with the Tejano music he grew up listening to. Following the Selena montage was the music video for “Wicked Game” by Chris Isaak, which really set the tone for the concert that night.
The band opened their performance with a soft intro to the first song on the new album, “X’s.” As the first notes played, a beautiful silence fell over the arena as everyone absorbed Greg Gonzalez’s ethereal voice. The band sounded just as they do on their studio tracks, but hearing them live transformed the experience. As they moved through their recent songs, they began playing their more well-known tracks halfway through the show. Before “Sesame Syrup,” Gonzalez mentioned that this song hadn’t been well-received in previous shows, but as soon as the first chords struck, the audience erupted in joy. Throughout the show, Gonzalez occasionally tossed picks to those at the barricade. During songs like “Sweet” and “K,” the audience sang in unison, lighting up the venue with their flashlights. The most memorable moment came during “Apocalypse,” when a disco ball transformed the venue into an old-school prom, with couples cuddled together, savoring the romantic atmosphere.
For those who couldn’t attend, here’s the setlist I gathered:
- X’s
- Pistol
- You’re All I Want
- Dark Vacay
- Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby
- Touch
- Falling In Love
- Tejano Blue
- Sesame Syrup
- John Wayne
- Cry
- Sweet
- Sunsetz
- Heavenly
- K
- Dreaming of You
- Apocalypse
- Opera House
Now for some personal reflections on the live show: once Greg Gonzalez began, it felt as though the venue had transformed into a vintage romance film. The performance was enhanced by fog machines and spotlights, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a black-and-white film, perfectly fitting the band’s aesthetic. While their iconic songs like “Sweet,” “K,” and “Cry” shone, the track that stood out to me the most was “Dreaming of You.” The studio version is angelic and soft, but live, it took on a heavier tone with strong guitar and bass, especially during the instrumental break. I’ve attached a video I filmed during the performance of “Dreaming of You.” The contrast between Gonzalez’s soft voice and the heavier instrumentals elevated all their tracks to another level. I truly hope the band considers releasing a live album of their greatest hits; I didn’t realize Cigarettes After Sex could sound even more angelically erotic.
Overall, this concert was the most relaxed crowd I’ve ever seen. Most of the audience remained seated, not because it wasn’t worth standing, but because the band had the unique ability to lull everyone into an emotional state that allowed for deep reflection and feeling. This is exactly why Cigarettes After Sex stands out in their genre; they possess a hypnotizing quality that encourages you to embrace love and emotion rather than run from it.
