Alex G crafted a euphoric set at Rescue Rooms last Tuesday, with tunes from his most recent album, God Save The Animal...
Alex G’s most recent album, God Save The Animal, is (in my humble opinion) a masterpiece born from a place of vulnerability and honesty. I knew I was about to witness a touching performance, and I wasn’t disappointed. The whole show was a sublime, intimate offering that read like a confessional as it traveled from one stripped-back moment to the next.
The venue was packed, seeing all walks of life gathered together in anticipation - a testament to how universal and human Alex G’s music and lyrics are. The whole set was whimsical, and completely intoxicating, leaving you with the feeling of being fully drowned in sound, words and emotion. He barely spoke a word but he didn’t have to. The music said everything for him.
The band opened with S.D.OS, which, aided by a wash of red light, quickly surrounded the crowd, followed by Runner, a feel-good anthem that speaks of acceptance: "I like people who I can open up to / Who don’t judge for what I say, but judge me for what I do”. A fitting start for what would be an almost two hour show for a room packed with people brought together by this unlikely star.
For the next thirty minutes, Alex G jumped between anthemic and experimental, intimate and fun, delivering spirited hits like Hope with stadium-level vigour before diving into the raucous instrumental Horse and the heady synths of Blessing. The band put such careful thought into what songs they played, masterfully creating a perfect set that was neither too sickly sweet nor too bleak and bitter.
Alex G was dressed to match the effortless brand he’s made for himself, wearing the kind of simple long-sleeve hoodie you’d throw on on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The skull-head on the back added an eerie undertone to the music every time he turned round to face his band, who he’d later warmly introduce to the crowd: Tom Kelly on drums, John Heywood on bass, and Sam Acchione on guitar.
In the short gaps between songs, those fans who had managed to find their way to the front launched raised hands, applause, cheering and enthusiastic requests at Alex and the band. The sense of connection between crowd, artist and sound was palpable.
During his generous encore (only, it wasn’t so much an encore as it was an extended set altogether, adding five more tracks to the 25-track-total setlist) which included renditions of Forever, Bobby and Southern Sky, a series of wistful and beautifully crafted tracks that immediately captured the audience's attention and made the outside world completely melt away once more.
The band's energy was utterly intoxicating, and Alex G's vocals felt even more intimate live than in the recordings. The band sings about the ups and downs of life with such a sense of honesty and vulnerability, which makes them feel both refreshing and relatable. Introspective, whimsical, and deeply personal - what is there not to love!
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