He smiled. Oliver Sim, 1/3 of the xx trio, maintained an impenetrable angst throughout the concert up until when he addressed the crowd before the encore. He thanked the crowd in Oakland for their warmth and graced them with a momentary lapse in his stage persona by flashing a grin; the crowd was ecstatic. The xx played in the Fox Theater in Oakland this Thursday night and will be taking the stage again at the Greek Theater in Berkeley this Saturday. There were plenty enough good vibes to warrant a trip across the Bay that evening, and I highly recommend seizing the opportunity to nomad to Berkeley. The show was awesome; waves of music crashed overhead a crowd that writhed as one organism. The air was thick and heavy with the subtle and complex sound that The xx is known for. The duets between Sim and Romy Madley Croft were intense and at times deeply sensual. Jamie Smith would sometimes break into percussion solos that got the people moving and grooving. It was a fantastic performance, and if you’re looking for a good time and some high quality music for Saturday, you know where to find it.