Pop Break Live: Cigarettes After Sex ‘X’s Tour’ at Madison Square Garden on Friday September 6, 2024
Words + Photos by Sabrina Leviton
Cigarettes After Sex, the current kings of dream pop, kicked off their X’s world tour last week.
On Friday night September 6, they played the world’s most famous arena — Madison Square Garden — for the first time in their career. The sold out show was mesmerizing. Known for their dreamy, cinematic sound, the band transformed the iconic venue into an intimate space, where time seemed to slow down.
The setlist carried the crowd through the band’s greatest hits, including “Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Baby,” “Apocalypse,” and “Heavenly”— each one met with awe and glowing cell phone flashlights in the audience. Everyone was also “dressed in black from head to toe” as lyricized in their hit song “K.”
The minimalist lighting, a signature of the band’s live performances, bathed the stage in shadows and black & white, perfectly complementing the music’s sensual mood.
Couples swayed together, lost in the tenderness of the music, while others simply sang along alone or with their closest friends, letting the atmosphere wash over them. It was less a concert and more a shared, intimate moment. Madison Square Garden, typically known for its roaring crowds, felt still— entranced by the moment and the magic of the band.
