Alt-J : 'The Dream' Tour △
By Rickelle Hunt
Alt -J wrap up their North American ‘The Dream’ tour under a full moon at the Agganis Arena making Boston one the final closing dates to this leg. The last time alt-J has visited this city was 4 years ago, while touring their hypnotic gothic album RELAXER (2017). Fans were buzzing with excitement to finally be reunited with the English indie-rock band. The trio consisting of Joe Newman (lead vocals & guitar), Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards & vocals), and Thom Sunny Green (drums) have recently dropped an album earlier this year titled The Dream and it’s one of their most creatively haunting pieces of work to date; diving into the darkest depths of grief, betrayal and buried memories. But there is also a side to this record that’s graceful and delicate, making the perfect soundtrack to a spring day in a flower field. It encapsulates a feeling of hopefulness, to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and create a rebirth to a new cycle of life.
Alt-J opened the set with “Bane” the first track off their latest record The Dream (2022). They incorporated stunning visual effects with dozens of glowing golden candles and a beautiful choir of vocals harmonizing. They then transitioned into the admired hit song “Every Other Freckle” off the album This Is All Yours (2014) that describes the uttermost obsession for someone and wanting to live inside their skin. You could hear the crowd echoing every lyric back throughout the arena, while falling into a hypnotic trance of dancing and flowing to the synth filled melodies. The band performed on a leveled platform stage inside a rectangular box a few feet in the air giving everyone a perfect birds-eye view by the height they were lifted at. The audience was highly admiring all of the newer songs played such as, “Chicago”, “U&Me”, and the tear-jerking “Get Better”. Fans nearly lost their minds over the iconic 2011 hipster anthem “Breezeblocks”, which was the first song many people were inspired by to then further dive into the rest of their discography. Alt-J has an authentic and artistic vision that shines through in their live performances. The unique trio is truly one of a kind and stand out among other musicians today who just don’t seem to care about the elements of putting on a real show. Don’t miss your chance to see this once in a lifetime production as alt-J continues “The Dream” Tour throughout the remainder of 2022. Catch tickets to a future show near you: https://www.altjband.com
