Alt-J @ Enmore Theatre

If Alt-J were little-known or under-appreciated once upon a time, it’s all but a distant memory now, as told by the force of cheers that greeted them for their Sydney show at the Enmore Theatre. And though this energy lifted the mood of everyone in the room, it often stole away the more tranquil moments.

Support act Grace held herself quietly and confidently at the mic in front of a packed crowd, lit by a ghostly glow with vocals dripping in darkness. Though her voice had a nice resonance to it, each note seeped indistinguishably into the next. Yet when she picked up the guitar, she assumed a more natural stance and began to create a full sound, filled with silky electric tones.

Delivering a powerful opening to their set with the pulsating ‘Hunger Of The Pine’, Alt-J were a veritable force. Though the show was comprised largely of tunes from new album This Is All Yours, older favourites were sprinkled throughout.

The crowd was vocal, shouting, whistling and cat calling, which all worked well in favour of tracks like the cheeky ‘Every Other Freckle’, but detracted from the tenderness of ‘Dissolve Me’. There was no room for stillness or observance until the band’s rendition of ‘Warm Foothills’, which demanded every person’s full attention.

The enthusiasm of the audience was well warranted, as it became evident that each member of the band was a significant piece of the puzzle. Certainly, Joe Newman’s bizarrely beautiful voice plays an important role in creating their signature sound generally, but what stood out most clearly tonight was their impressive integration of rhythms.

This was especially remarkable in ‘Fitzpleasure’, when the combination of crackling castanets, spot-on syncopation of vocal harmonies and the deep hum of the bass were particularly engaging. But really, it was the drum line that kept everything together throughout the night – the precision in the hits and control of dynamics was like musical glue to the disparate parts.

Alt-J is a group made up not only of exceptional composers but natural performers, and this was not lost on the crowd. If only Alt-J fans were equally good at listening.