Sometimes it's weird to go see an artist live that you've been listening to religiously for a long time, when you appreciate their work so much that you push it on your friends at every given opportunity. Over time you begin to connect certain songs to specific times in your life, and they start to have this nostalgic connection that elevates the artist to a personal tier reserved for a select few. Alex G has been this kind of artist for me, and to be honest, it was kind of a lacking experience. With a discography as deep as Alex G's, it'd be misguided for me to expect to hear every single song that I'd hope to. But as I walked back to my apartment, I couldn't help but feel like his set was anything more than ‘just ok.' Rather than showcasing the huge depth of his discography, the set heavily leaned on his recent two albums Beach Music and DSU, neglecting to play a single track from the masterpiece that is Race in the process. Alex G is one of the most interesting songwriters in indie rock, but last Thursday night at the Frequency he was far from the most interesting act of the night. Despite the generally lacking setlist, there was one moment that gave me a brief glimpse of the Alex G show that I still pine for: when his backing band put their instruments down and let him perform the hauntingly beautiful internet loosey “Sarah” all by himself. That alone was worth the cover charge.
Alex G may have headlined, but years from now I will fondly remember this show as ‘that time that I saw LVL UP.' With their recent signing with Sub Pop Records and the release of one of the best albums of 2016, the momentum behind this band coming into the night was unreal. But as Alex G clearly illustrated for me, it can be difficult to enjoy a set that you've built up so much in your head. But boy, did LVL UP perform. Their set was both a strong introduction for first time listeners as well as an indulgence for longtime fans. Book-ending the incredible, polished tracks off of their new record Return to Love, they started & ended their set some personal favorites off of Hoodwink'd: ”Annie's a Witch” and “I Feel Extra-Natural.” With a perfectly balanced setlist, they stole my heart and they stole the show.
Special thanks to J. Scott Kunkel AKA Scotify for the photos, beautiful as always.
