Stepping into Tramshed at 8pm on a bank holiday Sunday, it’s hot, dark, and teeming with edgy, shaggy-haired teens watching Alex G’s opening act Gold Baby: a dreamy, female-fronted grunge-pop band not far from Boygenius.
Weaving through crowds, I’ve also underestimated the cult-like fans of Alex G, who make anyone that didn’t have a mullet stick out like a sore thumb: some have even handcrafted I <3 ALEX G t-shirts for their long-awaited night. The initial chord by the floppy-haired artist commands deafening screams from the crowd, and it’s evident getting to the front of the packed-out venue will be a mission.
Alex, sat down playing the piano, opens with S.D.O.S. from newest album God Save The Animals, then transitions into Runner – a charming, folksy track with its catchy “I have done a couple bad things” hook. One thing that’s clear from the start is the power of his distinctive vocals, holding emotion which cut through the constant shouts of fans. And despite his evidently heightened fame over the years, you still get the impression that Pennsylvanian Alex Giannascoli is a little awkward and shy, with a lot of his performance having his back turned to the audience, displaying his skull-print shirt. A few songs in, we finally hear from the 30-year-old, who thanks Gold Baby and everyone else there for coming.
Parts of the set turn surprisingly rocking for this indie type, with heavy guitars, loud drums and flashing stage lights to match the mayhem. At one point, Alex segues into Hoobastank’s The Reason, apparently celebrating the early-00s hit’s anniversary – which seems a bit lost on the young crowd. The five-song encore was a treat for many though, fan favourites Gnaw and Harvey trotted out to widespread excitement.
For anyone who is not a superfan of Alex G, some of his setlist seemed to get a bit lost within itself: chord progressions can sound so similar as to lead one to wonder which song is which. But this factor didn’t matter to the overwhelming sea of chuffed fans, who clearly knew each song lyric for lyric and belted it like there was no tomorrow – and undoubtedly had one of their best nights.
Alex G, Tramshed, Cardiff, Sun 28 May
words INDIA MUNDAY photos ASHLEA BEA
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