Cigarettes After Sex started as Greg Gonzalez's project in El Paso, Texas, trading noise for slow, dreamy pop built on clean guitar and a whisper-soft voice.
From a stairwell to a hush
Early recordings took shape in a four-story stairwell, a space that helped set the airy, echoing sound heard on
Cigarettes After Sex and
Cry. Expect a patient arc, with likely anchors like
Apocalypse,
Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby,
K., and
Heavenly spaced out for long fades.
Who shows up and how it feels
The room skews mixed in age, with couples and friend groups leaning in, phones pocketed except for a few film cameras and quick chorus clips. Black-and-white fits, simple jewelry, and soft boots match the grayscale lights that backlight the band more than they front it. A small quirk: they often enter and exit with minimal banter, letting the reverb trail do the talking, and the drummer favors rods over sticks to keep cymbals soft. Setlist and production details here are informed estimates from recent runs, and your night could land differently.
The Scene Around Cigarettes After Sex
Monochrome in the crowd
The scene leans thoughtful and low-key, with people chatting in quiet pockets before the set about records and film scores. You will see monochrome fits, leather or satin layers, and a few vintage trench coats that nod to late-night cinema. When
Nothing's Gonna Hurt You Baby starts, small clusters sway and some hum the main riff between phrases rather than shouting.
Quiet rituals, shared moments
Merch trends toward black-and-white tees, album-cover prints, and a slim photo zine; vinyl is the item people ask about first. Between songs, the room often holds its breath for a moment, then claps cleanly, which suits the pacing. After the encore, friends trade favorite deep cuts and compare which track hit hardest, a simple ritual that keeps the mood intact on the walk out.
How Cigarettes After Sex Sound Lands Live
Slow burn, rich detail
Vocals stay near a whisper, sitting on top of clean, chorus-touched guitars and a warm, steady bass. Arrangements rarely rush; most songs sit at slow to mid tempo, letting each chord ring before the next arrives. Live, the drummer uses rods or brushes, keeping cymbal wash low so the guitar shimmer stays clear.
Little choices, big mood
A small but telling habit is extending the last chorus by one extra repeat, then holding a single high guitar note while keys fade under it. Guitars lean on simple arpeggios and two-note shapes that feel bigger thanks to delay, so the mix sounds wide without extra parts. On a few songs, the tempo nudges up after the first chorus, a lift you feel more than notice. Lights stay mostly monochrome with slow haze and soft backlights, reflecting changes in dynamics rather than pushing the pace.
Kindred Spirits Beyond Cigarettes After Sex
Kindred night-music
If you vibe with airy guitars and breathy vocals,
Beach House,
The xx,
Rhye, and
Men I Trust sit in the same quiet, late-night lane.
Beach House bring cinematic organ swells and slow builds that echo the patient pacing.
The xx use space like an instrument, with spare guitar figures and warm bass that speak softly but carry.
Why these shows overlap
Rhye leans on tender falsetto and light grooves, which lines up with intimate vocals over gentle pulses.
Men I Trust add soft-disco movement and clean, chorus guitar that match the glassy tones you hear here. All four acts draw crowds who prefer clarity over volume and songs that bloom slowly. Fans who like mood first, hooks second, will find a familiar pace across these sets.
