alt-J w/ Bishop Briggs
WaMu Theater, Seattle, WA
10.12.17
The crowd at Seattle’s WaMu Theater gave a heartfelt welcome to English electronic-indie-rock band alt-J, and not just because they surprised everyone by donning Seahawks jerseys. They’ve been making an eclectic and unique sound since their start in 2007, delivering excellence ever since. Their latest album, this year’s Relaxer, is evidence of that.
Bishop Briggs performed the best possible opening act for alt-J. Her unique hip-hop-meets-electric-pop sound was matched only by her unconventional dance moves. She came at the stage hard with her confidence and vocal range, and the performance only ramped up from there.
Briggs rocked one song after another without much dialogue with the crowd. Her dedication to the set was obvious as she literally ran back and forth across the stage—never dipping in energy. The raw emotion of her songs could be heard in the growl of her voice, and in her range and power.
Her signature pigtails bounced along as she danced and contorted. A favorite was clearly “River,” and the crowd sang along enthusiastically. An unexpected highlight of the set was when she played her new single live for the very first time. “Dream” was to be released that night at midnight. She said playing it for the first time was both scary and fun. It was the ultimate end to an impressive performance.
As the spectacular and synchronized lights flashed on, each member of alt-J took their spot on stage to kick the concert into gear with “3WW.” The setlist was a well-crafted blend of songs from their previous albums with a good representation of their newest work.
The changing stage light display that accompanied each track created an immersive audio and visual experience. Meticulously timed to every inflection and tune, the lights, color, and movement transfixed the crowd. As alt-j performed, stalagmites and stalactites of light danced across the stage and reached toward dancing fans. “Matilda,” “Every Other Freckle,” and “Fitzpleasure” were clearly some of the evening’s favorites as fans sang, clapped, and danced along. The sound was crisp and exact with a buzzing energy—it was almost as if the unique emotion and story of each song were visually embodied through the stage display.
While alt-J played almost through the whole set without much pause for conversation, they did share that they were happy to be visiting Seattle. They admitted to already having plans to return again, which was good news for fans as the encore of “Intro (An Awesome Wave),” “Left Hand Free,” and featuring “Breezeblocks” left the crowd lingering onto the very last note.
Review by Allie Leaf
Photos by Logan Westom
Alt-J
Bishop Briggs
