Alex G's Triumphant Return: A Night of Lush Melodies and Unbridled Enthusiasm at The Metro
Review By: Andrew Smith
Credit Kyra Ganson ALEX G
Following a brutally hot day, the sold-out crowd which packed into The Metro might have been forgiven for being a little low on energy. But, after a nearly six year long absence from Australia, and previous plans for a tour supporting his 2019 release House of Sugar scuppered by the pandemic, the audience was keen to show Alex G just how much fonder their hearts had grown in the interim.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, a word about the support act; Babitha perfectly set the table for the evening with an alluring brand of astral alt-country. Think the languid waves of Mazzy Star crashing against the propulsive rock of Hole. Charmingly confessing midway through their set that the audience was the largest they'd played to, Babitha and her backing band didn't seem over-awed by the occasion in the slightest, delivering a compelling performance full of lush lap steel and soaring harmonies to a deservingly enthusiastic response.
Then came Alex G. Starting out strong with a couple of tracks from his latest album God Save the Animals - the clockwork churn of S.D.O.S. and the wistful drugs-on-the-road ballad Runner - from there he drew a wide variety of songs from his impressive back catalogue, going as deep as Gnaw from his 2010 debut. Set highlights worth citing include the three minute gut punch Mission, the fuzzy lo-fi 90s-ness of Kicker and the geographically apropos Southern Sky.
There's a small grumble to be had about the intermittent muddiness of the sound mix, especially in the early stages of the set - a seemingly consistent issue with international acts at The Metro. While things improved, it was unfortunate that some of the more subtle aspects of Alex G's vocal performance were largely lost below Tom Kelly's hammering drums.
That said, the crowd's passion didn't waver for a moment, more than making up for any minor technical issues by singing heartily along with each and every syllable. A good indication of their obvious gusto came when Alex G announced his intention to play two more songs and "then come back for an encore".
And what an encore it was. With one eye on the clock and no sign of fatiguing, the band pumped out eight more tracks - essentially another half-set's worth of music - blasting through their 11pm curfew to absolutely no complaints from the crowd.
Special acknowledgement has to be made of Alex G's band - the ever solid John Heywood on bass, the octopus-limbed Tom Kelly on drums but, most especially, long-time Alex G collaborator Sam Accione, whose blazing lead guitar, backing vocals and occasional keys nicely filled out the four-piece's sound.
But it was Alex G himself who was the star of the show, moving effortlessly between a dynamic range of genres, vocal styles and instruments. His happy spirits and references to fond memories from previous visits to Australia (not to mention an impromptu cover of Kasey Chambers' Not Pretty Enough) were promising signs that it won't take another five years before he graces our shores once more.
