Practice not quite perfect for Alt-J
CONCERT
Alt-J
HBF Stadium
Friday, May 15
REVIEW MATTHEW HOGAN
3
Wrapping up their second Australian tour of 2015 in the same State they finished their first in, Alt-J showed what a clinical, well-practised set is all about.
Throughout their This is All Yours tour, which started last September, the band has played the same set every night, with slightly abridged versions at festival stops such as Southbound, and their tireless commitment to repetition has paid off — the British band played a set flawless in its delivery, but one which failed to be anything remarkable.
This is a band that was thrust into arena settings upon the release of their debut album, An Awesome Wave, three years ago. It’s still hard to figure out why, but the band should be commended for making the most of its opportunity; the live show takes advantage of the big stage with huge production values.
The set opened with Hunger of the Pine, which saw the band emerge as shadows under a smoke- and-light show. The track was exactly as it appears on the album — the Miley Cyrus sample was in all the right places, and the harmonies were executed with precision.
The seriousness continued until they dropped their oddball southern-rock throwback, Left Hand Free, which shows that despite matching black T-shirts and jeans, the band has a sense of humour. The laughs continued as a Dorothy the Dinosaur helium balloon — leftover from a recent Wiggles concert — lowered from the ceiling. This leftover from a recent Wiggles show proved what science cannot; Alt-J had sucked the air out of the room.
At times it was only drummer Thom Green — looking out of place with his tattooed arms and Metallica shirt — who appeared to be moving with only light sways greeting early singles Tessellate and closer Breezeblocks, but there was rapturous applause at every turn.
Likewise opening act Asgeir, also not seen in WA since Southbound back in January, has benefited from being in the right place at the right time. Post-Bon Iver, any man with a cable-knit jumper, falsetto, vintage synths and misplaced emotions is capable of captivating a room.
But just because Kurt Cobain wasn’t explicit with the deeper meaning behind Heart-Shaped Box doesn’t mean it has to be slowed down, dragged out and pilfered for five-plus minutes.
