BY MIMI HUCKINS ’21
At 8 p.m. on a Saturday night in Holyoke, a crowd anxiously awaited the performance of (Sandy) Alex G. Alexander Giannascoli, known by fans as (Sandy) Alex G, performed at Gateway City Arts on Nov. 16th in Holyoke, Massachusetts as part of his tour for his new album, “House of Sugar.” Accompanying (Sandy) Alex G on this leg of his tour were the bands Tomberlin and Indigo De Souza.
(Sandy) Alex G is known for experimenting with his sound, even within albums. His music varies in style from folk and country, to electronic, to grunge rock. His album “Rocket,” released in 2017, preceding “House of Sugar,” had a folk-influenced sound. “House of Sugar” shows the listener the more experimental side of (Sandy) Alex G’s music, with tracks like “Near,” “Taking” and “Walk Away” implementing unexpected techniques, sounds and instruments, which take more than a few listens to understand how they truly fit together. (Sandy) Alex G also surprises his listeners with the track “Bad Man,” in which he sings with a distinct Southern accent, unlike his natural dialect.
Other themes in his album include drug addiction, love, greed and broken relationships. In his more experimental tracks, such as “Taking” and “Near,” the lyrics are harder to understand and include lengthy repetition of singular words or phrases. In a sense, “House of Sugar” is somewhat like a very complex puzzle. It is hard to approach at first and it is tough to figure out how each piece, each song, each technique and each instrument fit together, but ultimately it proves itself to be a piece of artwork which brings up questions about (Sandy) Alex G’s influences and the little amount known about his personal life.
As the lights dimmed and the instruments were set up, “Project 2,” an instrumental track off the album, was played from speakers.
(Sandy) Alex G took the stage and began the show. He opened with “Gretel,” the first single off “House of Sugar.” In his song, inspired by the fable Hansel and Gretel (Sandy) Alex G sings, “It’s calling me back, House of Sugar.”
“Gretel,” “Southern Sky” and “Hope” were the first three singles released from his new album. These three melodic and upbeat songs transitioned into “Bobby,” a lighthearted folk song, followed by “Kute,” a moody and lyrically grotesque tune. (Sandy) Alex G then abruptly transitioned to his electronic experimental songs, starting with “Taking.” The abrupt transitions are unique and attention-grabbing. (Sandy) Alex G doesn’t need to do much to keep the audience interested — his widely varying styles and themes in his music do the trick.
(Sandy) Alex G took a seat at the keyboard for “Bad Man,” not sung in as thick of a Southern accent as on the studio track, until his last planned song, “Sugar House.”
Then came the signature part of (Sandy) Alex G’s shows during which he takes audience requests. The crowd screamed out suggestions, anxiously begging for him to choose their favorite. I had an agenda and reached my arm up as far as I could. (Sandy) Alex G took notice and reached down to me as I yelled my request.
“Harvey?” he asked. “All right,” he nodded confirming my request.
(Sandy) Alex G has also been known to do very unusual and unexpected covers during his shows. One of these has been “Semi-Charmed Life” by Third Eye Blind. Amazingly, it was requested, and without hesitation (Sandy) Alex G cues the band and they break out into an overly-energetic and comical cover. (Sandy) Alex G ended with the fan favorite, “Change,” off of his 2012 album, “Trick.” The crowd swayed together, singing his personal reflection, “I don’t like how things change.”
“I was surprised by the band asking for song recommendations after the set,” Kendall Morales ’21 said. “It was really indicative of their appreciation and care for the fan base, which you don’t see much at other performances.”
(Sandy) Alex G has a unique way of interacting with his audience. His transitions between songs are smooth yet immediate and he takes little time to acknowledge the presence of the audience by speaking directly to them. But his glazed stare into the crowd creates an intimate, personal moment. He does not attempt to wow the crowd with choreographed movements; he simply rocks to the beat of his music, closing his eyes from time to time, truly showing the audience that he feels what he is playing and that he is fully entranced by his own music.
As a long time fan of (Sandy) Alex G, but a first time (Sandy) concert-goer, I was thoroughly impressed. He lived up to my extremely high standards for him.
(Sandy) Alex G cares deeply about his music — it is unmistakable when seeing him live — but he also cares about his fans, and creates a good balance between the two. Seeing (Sandy) Alex G means every word he sings is something of a religious experience for a long-time fan. The entire performance takes constant twists and turns. One second you’ll think you’re at a country show, the next it’s experimental jazz. There is never a dull moment watching (Sandy) Alex G perform live.