Live Review: Alt-J, Mansionair, Ásgeir

Sadly, Adelaide missed out on the soulful songs of Mansionair, who only supported alt-J at the beginning of their tour along the East coast, but, here in Adelaide, this did not diminish the vibe nor the power of the sold-out show yesterday evening. Adelaide was electric.

Icelandic singer-songwriter and musician, Ásgeir melted our hearts with his beautiful voice, polite manner and often melancholy tunes. The incredible talent, who presents himself as a man far older and wiser than his 22 years, pleased the ears of the crowd with songs including the popular Kings Cross and Going Home, as well as a cover of Nirvana’s Heart Shaped Box. 

After a short interval, excitement hit an all-time high when headliners, alt-J, appeared on stage amidst smoke and swooping lights and began to play the recognisable intro of their hit song, Hunger Of The Pine.

They kept the crowd mesmerised and singing along as they faultlessly performed their well-known songs Something Good, Every Other Freckle, Tessellate and crowd favourite Left Hand Free. Finishing their set with a massive three-song encore, the audience left the concert on a high as the final notes of Breezeblocks played out.

Given it was a concert of all-male musicians, there was certainly no lack of gentle, soothing vocals from either Ásgeir or alt-J. In fact, the entire evening was a celebration of harmony and the wonder of the delicate male falsetto. Both acts complemented each other’s unique styles of dazzling melodies with soothing harmonies that send shivers up your spine… in a good way. Here’s to hoping that the boys head down under again soon.