Live review: Alex G at London Camden Roundhouse 23/03/23
The bedroom indie darling comes of age
In the near decade since singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Alex G(iannascoli) signed to Domino Records, his steady ascent has seen him blossom from supporting seminal emo acts such as Basement and Tigers Jaw in Koko back in 2016 to selling out the Roundhouse tonight, the once lo-fi bedroom indie darling’s biggest UK show to date.
Touring his latest ninth opus God Save The Animals, the set boasts almost every cut from the project, with discography spanning cherry picks littered throughout. Opening proceedings with the sinister piano-led ‘S.D.O.S’ blankets the crowd in darkened hues before recent hit single ‘Runner’ delivers the reliable, saccharine acoustic folk most are in attendance for, with the energy shifting within mere moments from cryptic despondency to joyous singalong.
One integral factor that could almost be seen as indicative of Giannascoli’s increasing success is the manner in which the studio tinkering of album versions is recreated so seamlessly. It’s no secret that all Alex G projects hide a few dissonant, avant-garde and often straight up harsh noise cuts (the double whammy of ‘Brick’ and ‘Horse’ offering an especially experimentalist midpoint in the set that just might skew too abrasive for the casual listener) and the artist isn’t averse to using auto-tune and pitch-shifted vocals to conjure specific moods and emotions, but in earlier performances these nuances and effects were absent due to budgetary constraints. Now, tracks like the tranquil ‘No Bitterness’ and lilting cocaine heartbreak piano-trap of ‘Immunity’ soar with their studio tinkering sonics replicated and intact.
Elsewhere, the live renditions of older material like fan favourite ‘After Ur Gone’ from his 2014 breakout record DSU takes on an entirely new form of dynamic energy when performed with his backing band, with an epic outro solo from guitarist Samuel Acchione. The very same can be said of the epic bombast imbued into ‘Judge’ which creates a night and day portrait of Giannascoli’s self-recorded efforts and the new life they take on when performed fully.
Curious enough is the fact that not all songs are restricted to their studio principles, with the vocal manipulations put to the side for Beach Music standout single ‘Kicker’, while the opening cut from his latest record, ‘After All’, shines in a minimal stripped back style exclusive to the live experience. The hypnotic melancholic dread of ‘Cross The Sea’ becomes the outlier singalong of the night, with its vocoded monotone delivery encouraging a keyless chorus, while the restoration of simple folk magic comes by way of the soothing nature of ‘Miracles’ and ‘Forgive’, before the group make their exit, with Giannascoli literally telling the crowd “these are our last songs before our encore”.
Returning to the stage with ‘Gnaw’, a deep cut dating all the way back to his 2010 debut LP RACE, proves quite the failed experiment with few in attendance showing the faintest sign of recognition (but was that the point, perhaps?). The track is quickly followed up with cult classic ‘Harvey’, receiving one of the most rapturous receptions of the evening, while the ethereal ‘Snot’ subdues the atmosphere in a way that is testament to the power of Giannascoli’s sonic guises and how much his expansive work can shift the energy of a packed room from psychedelic hoedown to angst-riddled balladry. The triplet finale of Rocket folk-ditty ‘Bobby’, into Trick deep cut and fan-crazed ‘Forever’, before topping the impressive 26-song set off with the delightfully playful yet unsettling rumination on heroin addiction ‘Brite Boy’, winds the night down in a communal wave of earnest appreciation, both from the artist and his listeners.
The rise of Alex G from lo-fi bedroom recordings to sold out headline shows in 3,000+ capacity venues, has been little shock to anyone paying close enough attention, but tonight’s performance doesn’t just exude his genre-fluid capabilities, artistic gradation or timeless bevvy of influences ranging from Elliot Smith to Pavement, but makes the case for Giannascoli himself to start being held in the same esteem, regard and conversation as his inspirational greats.
Zach Buggy