Alex G Live at Emo’s Austin

By Avery Viers
Local Music Director

Since his amateur debut in 2010, Philadelphia-based musician Alex Giannascoli – known professionally as Alex G – has produced nine studio albums. Included in his repertoire of experience is his haunting composition for the highly anticipated indie horror film, “We’re All Going To The World’s Fair.” At just 17 years old, Giannascoli would use his MySpace account to kickstart a career with a discography that has effectively drawn in crowds of young adults across the world.

The singer-songwriter’s first single, “GNAW,” would ignite a chain reaction of recognition that has resulted in multiple national and international tours. Hoping to catch Giannascoli on tour for his latest album, “GOD SAVE THE ANIMALS,” I traveled to Austin last Wednesday night to see who my roommate and I have since deemed, ‘King of The Whiny White Boys.’

My roommate and I arrived at Emo’s Austin on October 26, only to be met with an intimidating line of attendees trailing around the venue. Though most of the people we encountered looked like they smoke a pack a day and successfully maintain a state of emotional inconsistency, a large portion of the anxious crowd seemed to also consist of high school students. Each accompanied by their designated adult, the tribulations of the group of teens surrounding our group kept us entertained for much of the hour preceding our entry inside the venue.

We hadn’t been inside long before the opening set had begun. Hatchie, the Australian-born singer-songwriter, began her stellar set promptly and enthusiastically while being drowned by a saturation of purple stage lights. Although Hatchie’s sound differed slightly from the normcore sound of Alex G, the sea of onlooking members in the audience responded positively to the singer’s fuzzy, shoegaze sound.

Beginning shortly after his 9 p.m. set time, Giannascoli was met with an eruption of cheers and applause as he played the chords to his first song, “S.D.O.S.” Though I hadn’t familiarized myself with Giannascoli’s discography as much as I would have liked to prior to his show, the crowd’s energetic response seemed to indicate his set was worth the wait.

Most of Giannascoli’s performance featured songs from his 2022 LP, “GOD SAVE THE ANIMALS;” additional tracks included in the night’s set featured albums past such as “DSU,” “Rocket,” “House of Sugar,” and “Trick.” Giannascoli’s ability to illicit such emotional responses from the crowd encapsulated me; the intense connection audience members shared with Giannascoli’s music was made obvious as fans laughed, cried, danced and even began to mosh throughout the length of the 90-minute arrangement.

As our night with Giannascoli came to a close, I was impressed by how absolutely plastered this dude was. Don’t get me wrong – he put on a solid performance from start to finish. As he reemerged from the wings of the stage for Encore, however, he began to carelessly swing around his heavy glass of dark-colored liquor while initiating a several-minute monologue about the complexity of Rascal Flatt’s seminal work, “Life is a Highway.”

Following our performer’s final goodbye, the return of the venue’s house lights would reveal a crowd much sparse than I recalled. Our mass exodus through the doors of Emo’s Austin to be met with the noticeable chill of a late October evening. While Giannascoli’s sound is not one I frequented much before, his innate ability to undo years of therapy in a single set is certainly commendable.