Last night triangle-lovers from all over the capital flocked to Islington’s intimate venue The Garage to watch Alt-J do their thing in aid of War Child. All week, War Child andO2 have been bringing huge bands to small venues across Britain to raise money for their very worthy cause. Alt-J performed to a restless crowd who were eager to see this three piece,who have been touring arenas for the last few years, return to a smaller stage.

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Alt-J’s set list covered all three of their albums: 'An Awesome Wave', 'This is All Yours' and 'Relaxer'. At first, it seemed like the band were taking us through their greatest hits in chronological order; they opened their set with fan faves ‘Fitzpleasure’ and ‘Something Good’, and worked their way through ‘Nara’ and ‘Gospel of John Hurt’ to the roaring ‘In Cold Blood’. Performed in order of release, these tracks showed Alt-J’s progression from newbies to total pros, with each new phase in their career playing with their unique sound.

When Alt-J first arrived on the scene, they were heralded as a breath of fresh air in the world of indie boy bands, thanks to their new take on classic guitar riffs (they originally played the twangy ‘Taro’ using a roll of electric tape on a guitar) and avant-garde lyrics. They even sample Miley Cyrus in ‘Hunger of the Pine’! Their artistry makes them one of the most exciting bands to see live, as they think (and play) differently. Last night they brought all of this and more to their impressive set.

One of the most enjoyable things about the gig was Alt-J’s refusal to rush; they ambled through their slower songs like ‘Bloodflood’ and ‘Pleader’ (which had an epic and extended introduction), and treated us to their lengthy album interludes. Just as their albums appear as one whole entity rather than a collection of singles, Alt-J’s live show is an entire thoughtful production rather than merely consecutive performances. This made for an immersive experience.

It wasn’t all long intros and lingering vocals, however. Alt-J also treated us to their punchiest up-beat tracks like ‘Every Other Freckle’ and ‘Left Hand Free’ to keep us on our toes. We weren’t alone in belting out the choruses of these tracks, which seemed to genuinely touch the band that must be so used to their audience screaming their words back at them! Lead singer Joe responded to our enthusiasm throughout the night, aiming the mic at the audience for us to sing along in a way that only a front man can.

As Alt-J have grown older and wiser, their music and live shows have grown with them. Last night, it was a pleasure to see the guys go back to basics with nothing but their instruments and the great lighting of The Garage. Packed together on the relatively small stage, we could see just how in synch Alt-J are, with Joe and keyboardist/ vocalist Gus matching each of drummer Thom’s complicated beats.

Alt-J’s War Child gig proved that these guys are some of the most musically exciting people in the game, and it was amazing to watch such an established band take to a smaller stage for the night. Can we do it all over again please?

Words: Katharine Giff

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