It’s been two years since Alt-J last hit Australian shores. Travelling on the back of their prodigious debut An Awesome Wave, the English band delighted audiences with their gorgeous harmonies and expansive sound.
Fast forward to 2014, to their sold-out show at The Forum in Melbourne. The crowd murmured with excitement, creating an atmosphere thick with anticipation.
Grace served as a strong support act, her synth-rock musings well suited to the atmosphere in the room. The Perth musician appeared bubbly and excited, performance a wide range of material from EPs and her forthcoming album. At times her vocals were drowned out by the extensive waves of electronic melodies, hindering her performance. However her stage presence was captivating.
Almost directly on time, the lights of the venue quickly dimmed, leaving the audience in complete darkness. Bathed in eerie red light, the pulse of ‘Hunger of the Pine’ echoed throughout The Forum, synchronised flashes as the four-piece took their places on stage. Minor technical difficulties saw the absence of Joe Newman’s voice for the first verse and other instrumentation muted – not necessarily the greatest first impression.
But the track was soon met with the sample of Miley Cyrus’ ‘4×4’, and built up to its climax in strong, redeeming fashion. The lead single from This Is All Yours, the song was soon met with rapturous applause.
“It’s been two years since we played our first show here at Ding Dong Lounge…” a very humble Gus Unger-Hamilton proclaimed. The keyboardist spoke often between songs, preaching how grateful the band were to have the opportunity to play in Australia once more.
“It feels f—ing good to be back!”
The band’s 60 minute set was consistent, with an equal balance of material from An Awesome Wave and This Is All Yours. Crowd favourites ‘Fitzpleasure’, ‘Taro’ and ‘Left Hand Free’ were met with screams (“You’re a screechy bunch, aren’t you?), whilst quieter songs saw near silent audiences, tracks perfectly reverberating off the venue walls.
The band’s signature harmonies were on full display during ‘Interlude I (Ripe & Ruin)’, which moved an audience that was so silent and still into a riot of cheers at the end. A mash-up of ‘Bloodflood / Bloodflood Pt. II’ was received well – an incredible display of harmonies between vocals and guitar.
The show in itself was a visual spectacle. Three rows of lighting hung above the stage, paired with multiple at the sides. Perfectly synchronised with the percussive techniques of drummer Thom Green, the show was as visually pleasing as it was to the ear – perhaps even more so.
Surprisingly phones were absent, the occasional one popping up in the more popular songs to take a quick snap.
The band concluded with the dramatic ‘The Gospel of John Hurt’, building up to a dynamic, almost chaotic ending paired with high-speed flashing lights. However, in typical crowd fashion, the band weren’t allowed to leave without a couple more tracks – stomping and clapping soon drawing the four-piece back out.
Alt-J graced the stage for an extra 15 minutes, the encore comprising of Bill Withers’ cover ‘Lovely Day’, ‘Nara’ and the incredibly popular ‘Breezeblocks’.
As the night drew to a close and the crowd began to soak in what they had just witnessed, it became evident that Alt-J’s sophomore record could be delivered as flawlessly as it was in studio. The band’s knack for creating soothing, goosebump-inflicting harmonies and their aptness for dynamics highlights why they’re one of the fastest-growing bands at the moment – and why they sell out just about every single show.
Check out the full gallery from the show here.
Setlist:
Hunger of the Pine
Fitzpleasure
Something Good
Left Hand Free
Dissolve Me
Matilda
Bloodflood
Bloodflood pt. II
Interlude I (Ripe & Ruin)
Tessellate
Every Other Freckle
Taro
Warm Foothills
The Gospel of John Hurt
Encore:
Lovely Day
Nara
Breezeblocks
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