[Images provided by Steve Hatley]

alt-J Sells Out the Orpheum Theater

16:36 November 17, 2017
By: Steve Hatley

Alt-J (stylized as alt-J), has come a long way in the 10 years they have existed. The Leeds, England, quartet is now a trio after the departure of founding member and bassist Gwil Sainsbury. Picking up the bass duties was touring member, Cameron Knight, but eventually, lead vocalist Joe Newman took over that role. With Thom Sonny Green on drums and Gus Unger-Hamilton on keyboard and vocals, the band put out an amazing album in June of this year. Relaxer (RELAXER) is the alt-J's third full-length album and tour namesake. Their stop at the Orpheum was another SOLD-OUT affair, and the fifth time the band has played the city since 2013, when they played BUKU.

In the performance, the trio merged a slew of different musical styles, creating a unique yet whole and well-rounded sound. The band’s mix of folk and world beats combined well with the unconventional and experimental nature of the songs. The set list consisted of tracks from alt-J’s latest album, as well as their sophomore album This is All Yours and their debut record, An Awesome Wave. Surprising for a tour on a new album, the set was focused mainly on the debut. This helped the set flow extremely well. alt-J’s experimental sound was accentuated by their set of artistic background visuals. Although the band remained predominantly stationary throughout their performance, the interesting visuals maintained a certain level of spatial engagement. You can see more pictures here.

 
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