Philly-based singer/songwriter (Sandy) Alex G, born Alex Giannascoli, weaves both jazz spontaneity and country twang to his laidback rock music, and he brought plenty of all of that to his set at Le Montecristo, joined by a trio of musicians. The early set was heavy on the folk and country leanings, thanks to tunes like "Proud" and "Bobby," from last year's Rocket LP, made all the better thanks to his guitarist, whose slide work gave the tracks an extra kick.
It was dabblings in Midwest emo that really brought the most out of the set, as on "Serpent is Lord" from 2014's DSU and a blistering rework of "Bug" from 2015's Beach Music, the former of which ignited a guitar duel between Giannascoli and the other guitarist.
The back half of the set made the most of the keyboard, which lay dormant on the stage for the set's front half, anchoring the songs through more experimental turns. "Poison Root" juxtaposed Alex G's plaintive keys with the drummer's wild playing, while "County" brought out the jazz vibes. It was an eclectic set from an eclectic musician, showcasing his penchant for keeping things interesting and never staying in one place for too long.
It was dabblings in Midwest emo that really brought the most out of the set, as on "Serpent is Lord" from 2014's DSU and a blistering rework of "Bug" from 2015's Beach Music, the former of which ignited a guitar duel between Giannascoli and the other guitarist.
The back half of the set made the most of the keyboard, which lay dormant on the stage for the set's front half, anchoring the songs through more experimental turns. "Poison Root" juxtaposed Alex G's plaintive keys with the drummer's wild playing, while "County" brought out the jazz vibes. It was an eclectic set from an eclectic musician, showcasing his penchant for keeping things interesting and never staying in one place for too long.