Alex G’s performance was charged with restless, almost feral energy that never quite settled. From the opening minutes, the music felt lively and unrestrained, spilling out through crunchy guitar solos and wild vocals. The songs twisted and evolved live, sometimes sounding rougher, louder and more distorted than their studio counterparts. 

There was a palpable sense of joy coming from the stage that night in Manchester. Rather than standing at a distance from the audience, Alex G seemed fully immersed in the now, grinning through the tracks, leaning into imperfections, and letting the band stretch out into musical madness when the mood demanded it. The emotions emitted were contagious — everyone felt the irresistible urge to bop their heads and stay fully engrossed in the moment.

Visually? The show was a masterpiece. The lighting and projections completely transformed the performance; flickering colours and sudden flashes mirrored the energy coming from the stage. For songs such as ‘Brick’, they had fast, pulsating lights to match the speed and intensity of the tunes. Whereas, for offerings like ‘Oranges’, the lighting stayed unchanged. And my eyes were simply glued to the stage. That contrast in lighting was smart — it meant that the atmosphere in the room was always changing, but it also created a collective consciousness among the crowd.

Alex G was able to deliver some of his most celebrated tracks while giving each individual song its own spotlight. So every aspect of the show seemed one of a kind. He had beautifully  timed interjections within songs, too, where he would improvise solos with Sam Acchione (guitar) and they’d feed off each other between smiles and laughter. These moments really captured the essence of the music that Alex G shares with his band members — plus how much he enjoys playing in front of fans to produce memories that people will carry forever.

Guest gig review contributed by Tom Vrahoulakis.