(Sandy) Alex G @ CCA, Glasgow, 18 Oct

Who doesn’t want their favourite musician to dedicate them a tune and sing it in their face? A short-haired Alexander Giannascoli – aka (Sandy) Alex G – makes this wish come true for his Glaswegian fans at the end of his show tonight. Having stated that the track was written by his great-great-great-grandfather, his “musical ancestor”, he jumps in the crowd singing in falsetto, while the rest of the band plays a backing that would fit in at the end of a cheesy movie. “You can love your friends at the show, everyone on the left, everyone on the right, you can love everyone all night”. Despite the remarkably tender content, this made-up song is the worst we hear tonight, but it highlights one thing – (Sandy) Alex G is a pretty cool guy.

Clearly, Giannascoli isn’t afraid of experimenting, spawning tunes with a sprinkle of jazz and a dash of grunge while maintaining his indie-rock roots. His fellow musicians deliver perfectly, the guitarist standing out in a series of enjoyable solos while the shoeless drummer truly goes for it. The band are clearly having a laugh, and their nonchalant approach keeps the chilling-with-friends vibe. There could be a bit more interaction with the crowd between songs, but perhaps Giannascoli has been building up to give it all at the end. He does throw in some random interludes with the keyboard, one of them particularly pounding and followed by a comment on Glaswegians’ love for techno.

The first part of the show seems a bit rushed: the real deal comes after. The performance peaks towards the end, hand in hand with the crowd’s attitude; we all start a bit shy, slowly getting  more intense. The enthusiasm is the same for old and new tunes: people on this side of the stage shout the lyrics of Bobby, Bug, Gnaw – they really feel it, and so does Giannascoli. He’s gritting teeth, almost murmuring, his eyes closed or focussing on a detail, the rhythm pulsing through his legs. The vocals are well-articulated only as the tone gets louder, and an on-stage bottle of Wild Turkey complements this heartfelt rock’n’roll vibe.

(Sandy) Alex G and his band deserve a star each for tonight’s passionate yet easy-going performance. Their frontman may have started out as an internet sensation, but tonight proves that he can hold a crowd as well.