Smoke and Seduction: After Sex Cigarettes Bring Sultry Soundscapes to Vorst National in Black and White

For some, the music of Cigarettes After Sex is extremely boring, for others it is the most beautiful music on earth. There are quite a few of the second category in Belgium (and by extension the whole world), as it happened, because in a few minutes all tickets for the group’s world tour flew out the door. The band of the driving force Greg Gonzalez was founded in 2008, but it has only reached its peak since it was discovered by the young generation on platforms such as Spotify and TikTok. The most amazing thing, however, is that the band from Texas itself prefers to live life in the shadows, and let what happens on the internet pass almost without a trace.

Popularity has never really been able to tempt the band; the trio prefer to let all their cinematographic music do the talking. This summer the Americans brought … X’s released their third album, and they weren’t able to surprise much, but it was one that was a seamless fit with their first two long players. With barely three songs from that record, the new work did not play a central role yesterday during their show at Vorst National, and so there was mainly attention to the beloved old work. They also used their black-and-white filter in Brussels, albeit on a slightly larger scale.

There was no need for a support act for Cigarettes After Sex and so a packed hall had to patiently count down to the twenty-first hour of the day. With a handful of minutes’ delay, the lights dimmed and, accompanied by a symphonic introduction, the three gentlemen made their way inconspicuously to the stage. The transition to the opening song “X’s” went smoothly and without much fanfare, exactly as expected. It certainly wasn’t the start of a blitz, although the young fans immediately took out their mobile phone lights to show their first proof of appreciation. The “You’re All I Want” followed somewhat the same pattern, but with a more sensual touch. Greg Gonzalez, wearing dark sunglasses and a beard, lived up to the band’s name and sang nonchalantly about his exciting sex life. So it was better for the parents to keep the ears of their young ones closed for a while.

The trio always radiated a certain distance from the audience and kept themselves particularly thin in their contact texts. The new single “Dark Vacay” was announced in an impressively low voice, although the excitement was somewhat limited. Despite his limited choice of words between songs, Gonzalez has grown as a frontman. Yesterday, instead of words, he preferred to speak with actions and so he came down from his stage regularly to be able to play a little closer to the audience. His facial expression may have remained icy cold, but we registered it as a worthy attempt to give something back. Musically, Cigarettes After Sex was as expected. “Pistol” was visually enhanced by a large moon in the background so we could fully taste the added value of the big screen for the first time. During “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby,” Randy Miller’s fluid bass line made the audience swoon. The band found the balance between music and aesthetics fairly quickly.

The unexpected “Touch” created a new dynamic in the show. A slightly ‘faster’ tempo relaxed the three members of the band without having to deviate from their easy playing style. “Tejano Blue” also offered as much variety as possible, although the band’s color palette remained typically white and black. The eye also wanted something and After Sex Cigarettes realized that all too well. The production looked fairly static at first glance, but that’s exactly what rhymed so well with the music playing on the speakers. The three spotlights that shone on the gentlemen on stage during “John Wayne” were a great example of how they created more with less. The song also became a cover for the concert.

The focus was partly on the last third of the concert and bringing out the best known songs. “Cry” was actually sung, but unfortunately it was one of the few moments where the sound was not adjusted properly. The bass drowned out the feedback a little too assertively, so Gonzalez’s soft vocals didn’t have much to offer. However, during “Sweet” it was resolved again and Gonzalez took a seat at the front of the stage. Here too, the interaction was limited to some eye contact, although there was still a small smile at the end. After a beautifully delivered “Sunsetz”, the frontman even gave a fan in the front row a guitar pick.

The generosity was not limited to the material alone. The eternal “Heavenly” took us to heaven, where we stayed on a soft cloud and enjoyed the soothing sounds along with eight thousand others. The guitar intro to “K.” enough to keep us on that airy cloud, where we could enjoy a beautiful starry sky. It may be too early to call it a classic, but the beauty of the song captivated everyone for five minutes yesterday. And then there was the biggest hit “Apocalypse”. As if the band felt they had to do something special, in the last part of the song they lowered two disco balls which reflected beautifully through the round hall. Indeed, it could have ended here on a high for most, but the three had a stylish finale in store with “Dreaming Of You”.

We feared in advance that the soul of Cigarettes After Sex would be lost in a venue like Vorst National. Ultimately, that feeling was not (completely) justified. All in all, the trio offered a fairly sovereign performance cast entirely in their signature black and white aesthetic. There may not have been any big surprises, but no one will have returned home complaining. Partly due to the strong atmosphere and surprisingly clear sound, Cigarettes After Sex offered a suitable experience for its fans young and old. Not a performance for the history books, but one to cherish during the wet days of autumn.

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Set list:

X’s
You’re all I want
Dark Void
A pistol
Nothing is going to Hurt Your Baby
Touch
Falling in Love
Tejano Blue
John Wayne
Crying
Sweet
Sunset
Heavenly
K.
Apocalypse
Dreaming about you