WGRE favorites Alt-J are currently in the midst of an extensive world tour supporting their critically acclaimed second release, “This is All Yours.” On Sunday, the British band took the stage for a sold out show at local Indianapolis venue, The Egyptian Room.
Opening with their single “Hunger of the Pine,” the trio, accompanied by touring bassist Cameron Knight, tore through an 18-song set-list compiled of their hits from both albums and a rendition of Bill Withers’ “Lovely Day.” While their tracks stand alone, the band carefully ordered their albums to flow from one song to the next. On the live stage, the band did the same as they played “Something Good,” “Dissolve Me” and “Matilda” consecutively, just as they appear on “An Awesome Wave.”
Visually, the stage was simple, but stunning. The four band mates stood in a line facing the crowd with several beams of light behind them, creating silhouettes of the musicians on the walls of the venue. The light flashed to the beat of their music, making the concert a full sensory experience.
Unfortunately, the band did not pick up on the visual cues indicating time as well as the crowd. Alt-J is constantly praised for their unique, percussive beats created by drummer Thom Green, but his on stage performance did not live up to the reputation that preceded him. On songs with ever-varying speeds like “Every Other Freckle,” Green sloppily transitioned from one part of the song to the next causing the music to fall apart for short moments while the band tried to get back on track. Perhaps this lack of cohesion is due to the void left from the departure of bassist Gwil Sainsbury, but in the midst of a tour with his replacement, you would expect they would have worked out the kinks by now.
Despite several bumps in the road, when the band was on, they were on fire with highlights including “An Awesome Wave’s” closer, “Taro,” the tongue-in-cheek single “Left Hand Free” and an encore of “Breezeblocks.” While the vast majority of the set relied on the group’s famous brand of electronic production, singer Joe Newman provided a moment of serenity with his falsetto driven vocals and melodic whistles on “Warm Foothills.”
Remember to tune in to 91.5 WGRE: Your Sound Alternative to hear Alt-J’s new album, “This is All Yours,” and receive updates about upcoming concerts in the area.