Alt-J + Stealing Sheep

Mercury-winners Alt-J came into town on the crest of a wave, playing a sold-out show to an adoring crowd, lapping up every moment as the hype had hit fever pitch. Was it justified? After an ace bout of Throwing Muses jangle and Cocteau Twins haze filtered through vintage surf from Liverpool trio Stealing Sheep, the headliners played a subdued, quietly classy set. A curious mish-mash of intelligent indie, synth-pop and world music, Alt-J, with their barely-there stage presence, might have been the whitest band alive during almost bland filler material. Luckily, when their distinctive world-conquering killer basslines kicked in, they emerged as a soft-spoken powerhouse of post-Radiohead crossover rock.

Concorde 2, 4 November 2012

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