“I’m most definitely really excited to play in the middle of the desert in Joshua Tree, California,” says Liz Wendelbo, one-half of synth-pop duo Xeno & Oaklander, who kicked off a tour mid-November, which on December 10th will have them playing Landers, California’s Retreat Center, to which she refers. And, during a recent phone chat, I find that the band are no strangers to unconventional live settings. “We played underneath a Walgreens once… and we enjoy playing in museums and institutions when the occasion arises,” Liz tells me, before Sean [McBride, the other half of Xeno & Oaklander] adds, “We played in a very high-end chocolate factory in Moscow, where in that same space you’d see lectures in philosophy and literature.” However, Sean tells me that, in general, he tends to be a fan of intimate spaces, which is good for us, as our upcoming opportunity to see the duo will be on Saturday, December 21st at MilkBoy, for the last night of the tour and the final show of 2024 for Xeno & Oaklander.
Liz and Sean have been making music as Xeno & Oaklander for about two decades now, with their debut LP, Vigils, dropping in 2006. When I ask them what have been some of the highlights of the past twentyish years, Liz tells me that the diverse experiences provided by touring are a constant highlight, with Sean explaining, “I think just the ability to travel as much as we travel in the Americas and in Europe. For me, that’s the best thing. It’s opened my eyes to so many different people and places and cultures,” going on to note particularly moving shows earlier this year in Sicily and Valencia. However, Sean also admits a serious appreciation for how the band’s sound has been able to evolve along the way: “I’ve learned so much over these years, and you can reflect more… I’ve expanded my vocabulary… The palette widens exponentially with each release.”
Xeno & Oaklander are currently touring behind their eighth full-length, Via Negativa (in the doorway light), which dropped via Dais Records on November 15th, the day of our chat. Curious how they consider the album to compare to previous releases, Liz tells me, “It sounds a little more robust, in terms of drums and guitar, than [previous LP, 2021’s] Video,” with Sean going on to say, “There’s quite a few more channels of instrumentation. There are 16 instruments on Video and like 20 or 22 here.” When I ask what can be expected of their December 21st stop at MilkBoy, Liz tells me that fans can anticipate a lot of new music: “We’re gonna play most of the songs from the new album, and include some older songs because people like that [laughs]. And we’re gonna bring a lot of synthesizers.” And Sean promises it will be a very carefully curated performance: “There won’t be a break. The concert will be a pure sonic experience of 80 minutes. It’ll be a seamless performance.”
*Get your tickets here.
**Listen for Xeno & Oaklander on the next edition of Philthy Radio, 12/20 (9-11pm ET) on Y-Not Radio.
