After hitting Chicago in January as opener for The Killers at United Center, it’s no shock that Alex Cameron was able to sell out the relatively tiny Lincoln Hall. Presented by XRT, who have been playing his single “Runnin’ Outta Luck” like it’s going out of style, it was apparent that this particular crowd was there to hear his songs and not simply because he might be the next big thing.

His tunes about love and sex in the age of The Internet are written with a cutting wit so sharp his pen was likely forged with Hanzo steel. He gave many explanations about his music last night, jokingly saying he didn’t know it at the time but all his songs are about male privilege.

With the help of sax master Roy Molloy and a great rhythm section that includes openers Holiday Sidewinder and Juice (his name’s Justin but they call him Juice) the songs took on a tone a bit funkier than they are on Forced Witness.

Groups of people around me seemed to be excited to hear different songs, but the one they all seemed to agree on is “Candy May,” the opening song on the album. There were many moments of huge applause, but that song and “Marlon Brando” got the biggest reaction.

The only negative thing I heard was disappointment that he didn’t play “Country Figs.” That’s a fine song, but cutting material to make a 13-Song setlist isn’t easy and not everything can make it. In a few years when he’s headlining Chicago Theatre and has the opportunity to play for a couple of hours, maybe he’ll squeeze it in.

Setlist: Studmuffin96, Happy Ending, Real Bad Lookin’, The Comeback, Candy May, The Chihuahua, True Lies, Runnin’ Outta Luck, Stranger’s Kiss, Politics Of Love, Marlon Brando. Encore: Take Care Of Business, She’s Mine