It was just this past Tuesday that Alt-J played a intimate secret show at Le Poisson Rogue (for NPR) to test out the new songs that we will soon be hearing on new album This Is All Yours. I couldn’t make that show as I already had plans to see Interpol play at The Met. I don’t regret that decision, but I was bummed that I was missing out on a intimate Alt-J show, as I know that those things will be a thing of relative obscurity with their recent found fame (with their sold out show at The Beacon in November as proof). Yet, I woke up yesterday morning finding out that the band would be playing a last-minute show at the even smaller Rough Trade NYC. I didn’t even hesitate on buying myself a ticket, knowing sure well that you don’t waste a second chance opportunity such as this.
I first saw Alt-J in 2012, back at a packed out Bowery Ballroom. Before that show, I knew the band was going to find themselves a passionate fan base, but even I didn’t predict this level of success coming there way. But when I experienced the crowds feverish reception that night, I realized that these guys were going on a trajectory that no one could quite predict.
I next saw them at Webster Hall, and then Governors Ball last summer. The crowds got bigger, and crazier. Soon they were selling out shows at Hammerstein and Central Park, winning the Mercury Prize, and now they have a single that samples Miley Cyrus. Fans may not want to hear it, and most won’t agree, but it is sort of understandable why all of it was a bit too much for founding member Gwil Sainsbury, who shocking quit the group after their massive tour for An Awesome Wave finally came to an end.
After catching an early set from The New Pornographers a few hours before, I headed over to Rough Trade expecting to get stuck in the back. Yet, I was able to find myself a cozy spot only a few rows from the stage, ironically the closest I’ve ever been at one of their shows. They took the stage a little past 11, in a refreshingly unceremonious manner (no music, no big announcement, they just walked out), keeping the feel of the intimate club show that it was.
The Miley Cyrus-sampling “Hunger Of The Pine” was the first song of the evening, and in truth, it lacked a punch last night, coming off rather flat. But keep in mind, this was only their 2nd show playing these new songs. “Fitzpleasure” was next, and the group seemed much more confident and comfortable in its confines, raising the energy of the crowd tenfold. From there they worked in a few new songs with a pair of An Awesome Wave cuts thrown in to blanket us, and themselves, into the world of the new stuff. “Left Hand Free” works a lot better live than it did for me on the studio version, but hearing it played will probably help the live version for me as well. Out of all the new songs it was the rather epic “Gospel Of John Hurt” that left me most impressed, forcing me to drop a few “wows” during its epic guitar breakdown. Then there was the pretty “Warm Foothills,” which featured some well timed whistling, causing the girl next to me to start to tear up (at least that’s what she was telling her friend).
Getting as close as I was to the stage made all the difference, as I got to see little intricacies of the band that I would have missed otherwise. Vocalist Joe Newman surveyed the room while singing almost at all times, looking you dead in the eyes as he spread his uniquely soulful vocals. You get to see how much keyboardist Gus Unger-Hamilton has to do up there, and how much power that drummer Thom Green has. Then there’s Gwil’s replacement Cameron Knight, who fit in without a hitch. It was only his 2nd show with the band, but you wouldn’t have known any different without being told. He’s the right man for the job.
The crowd ate up the new material, but went that much further when tracks such as “Matilda,” “Taro,” and “Breezeblocks” were played. The band shared a few laughs during humorous screw ups (such as on the closing performance of “Breezeblocks”), making the performance seem that much more special and intimate.
Who knows if I’ll get to see Alt-J in such a tiny intimate room, but if it never happens again, I can live with that as last night’s show was quite frankly as good as it gets.
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