As the final night of Osheaga 2025 descended on Parc Jean-Drapeau, a hard choice had to be made. Jamie XX’s closing set on the Forest stage overlapped with Olivia Rodrigo on the main stage, and while I hated to miss her, I knew deep down that Jamie would deliver something truly singular. I wasn’t wrong. Under the canopy of the trees, the crowd (though smaller than expected) gathered to dance, reflect, and lose ourselves in one final release of energy.

The people who showed up were there for him. Despite the weekend's exhaustion and the blistering heat earlier that day, a devoted pocket of fans danced their hearts out to Jamie’s set. My friends and I found ourselves surprisingly close to the front, yet it never felt like we were there for Jamie; rather, we were there for each other. And maybe that was the point.

The visuals were gorgeous. Lights flickered in waves, matching the pulse of the beats, and halfway through the set, the large screen behind the booth turned into a live camera feed of the audience. We watched ourselves dancing together in real time. It was more than just a visual gimmick. Jamie's latest album, In Waves, is about feeling moments as they happen, about connection and emotional immediacy. By turning the lens back on us, Jamie invited us to feel that presence and intimacy with each other.

The sound was immaculate. Jamie seamlessly transitioned between his own productions and deep cuts. He didn’t say a word, but those of us tuned in knew exactly what he meant. Some of my favourite tracks that were mixed in were "Gosh", a really powerful hype-up song with a beautiful melody, "All You Children", an electric jam with a driving, primitive beat, and "Treat Each Other Right", an absolute drum and bass bop that you can't help but dance to.

This was my first time seeing Jamie XX live, and it was the set of the weekend for me. I'll never forget that feeling of dancing free in the open air with good company all around. It was the perfect way to end an amazing weekend!

Review by: Chris Murphy

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Jamie XX Brings Osheaga to a Close with a Hypnotic Celebration of Togetherness