Rising pop star Gracie Abrams made her Radio City Hall debut on October 4th, selling out three consecutive nights. With the release of her most recent album, The Secret of Us, Abrams has established herself as one of the industry’s hottest and “on-the-rise” artists. As a longtime fan of Abrams, it has been incredible to witness her recent rise to fame. Luckily, I had the opportunity to attend one of her Radio City shows.
Before I stepped onto the venue, the show made its impact on me from a mile away. In the venue’s surrounding radius, I could tell if a person was attending the same concert by a signature element associated with Gracie Abrams: a bow. I am not exaggerating when I say this: every single person in the audience had some sort of bow on their outfit — it could be found in hair, pinned onto shoes, or incorporated into attire. I, too, had a bow pinned in my hair. In a way, everyone was connected to one another, and it was heartwarming to see.
The night started off with a performance by the opening act, Role Model, also known as Tucker Pillsbury. Although I had previously known of Role Model, I was not an active fan. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed his set. He put on a great show, and I loved how funny and charismatic he was.
Around 9:00 P.M., the house lights dimmed, and the crowd went wild. The big screen on stage lit up, displaying Abrams’s silhouette. The first song on the setlist, “Felt Good About You,” began to play. Throughout this initial performance, I expected Abrams to come out on stage; interestingly enough, she did not. The video playing on the big screen seemed to be pre-recorded. As someone who has attended several concerts, I found this opening performance underwhelming. However, this shortcoming did not overshadow the rest of the night.
One of my favorite aspects of the concert was the stage setup. Seated in the second mezzanine, I could see the entire stage, and I truly loved it. It was simple yet effective. The changing lights and stairs complemented Abrams’s whimsical, fairy-like outfit, creating a garden-like setting. The vibe matched the genre of music, and I felt myself fully immersed in the experience.
My favorite performance of the night was “Let It Happen,” which also happens to be my favorite song off The Secret of Us. Screaming such relatable lyrics under the pink and orange lights reminded me of the serendipitous feeling I get when I have long conversations with friends.
Justin Mehlbrech, a senior at CHS, also attended the Gracie Abrams concert. When asked what his favorite performance of the night was, he stated it was “‘Free Now’ because her vocals were amazing and the energy in the crowd felt so alive.” Justin has also been a longtime fan of Abrams and had been looking forward to this night for months.
Stella Cho, also a senior at CHS and a longtime Abrams fan, had two favorite performances: “My favorite performance was either ‘I Knew It, I Know You’ or ‘I Love You, I’m Sorry.’ I loved hearing the note change in real life, and the set was gorgeous with the changing lights.” Abrams recorded a live performance of “I Love You, I’m Sorry” with Vevo which included a note change, and the recording blew up on social media. It was exciting to hear the note change live!
Overall, I enjoyed my experience at the Gracie Abrams concert. Despite my initial disappointment with the opening performance, the rest of the night was extremely memorable. If I had the chance to attend another one of her concerts, without a doubt, I would go. I’d also encourage other students to check out her music and purchase a ticket!
