X Ambassador experience

Curiosity sparks, watching a friend slide past the bouncer into an all-consuming, mouth-breathing, hot, and enthusiastic crowd over the band in the background.

On Thursday, November 17^th, the X Ambassador’s concert at the Marquee on Gottingen St in downtown Halifax brought back the spirit of harmony through music. The X Ambassadors were in Halifax for their Canadian tour promoting their newest album VHS.

The rock band from Ithaca, New York took to the stage to promote unity, with regard to the present social and political state of uncertainty, whereby several hateful messages against select groups of individuals have been perpetuated and been brought to a head.

Front man, Sam Harris spoke out against Trump and promoted the celebration of individuality, specifically calling out to LGBT youth.

The band, and along with many other pop culture icons, had shared several posts prior to the United States election on November 8^th endorsing Hillary Clinton, and urging fans to vote in the weeks prior to the election. So, it’s no surprise that the members and fans are extremely disappointed with the results.

In the wake of such results, the theme of renegaded youth has become exceedingly prominent to the band, particularly as they broke out into their platinum-selling single, Renegade.

The song’s message urges listeners to embrace our individual differences, stating

“All hail the underdogs
All hail the new kids
All hail the outlaws
Spielberg’s and Kubrick’s”.

The song also, serves to urge a generation of youth, towards challenging social and political norms, banding together today’s disenfranchised youth.

This message seemed to resonate as it sent echoes of cheers throughout the crowd of sweaty, anticipatory audience members. The crowd came together as a united front against all forms of discrimination.

Made up of the uniquely diverse sphere of fans, their energy – along with the band members’ – roared as fans danced and sang along to the catchy cross-genre ballads. The ideas of community togetherness and strength in difference, supported the music’s ability to bring together people of different backgrounds and to promote hope.

If nothing else, the X Ambassadors brought forward an environment of inclusivity and positivity, distracting even the most cynical from the world’s political and social turmoil for the few short hours, Thursday night.