Gracie Abrams blew the crowd away on Sept. 25, with her incredible stage presence, ear-worm beats, crowd interaction and heartfelt lyrics. After two concerts as an opener in the Twin Cities, Abrams is taking the stage for the first time as the headliner for the long-awaited, sold-out “The Secret of Us” tour. Thousands of fans bopped, hopped and rocked in the Armory in downtown Minneapolis.
The overall feeling of walking into the Armory on Sept. 25, was like walking into a hug. I immediately felt positive, energized and warm as the Armory’s floor section had filled in completely by 7:25 and Gracie wouldn’t be taking the stage for over an hour and a half. The Gracie Abrams fans are some of the kindest and most considerate fans you will encounter at a concert, rather than others where fans can be selfish, unkind, and rude. In line for merchandise, fellow fans would offer to take pictures of us, while making light conversation about excitement for Abrams to perform. During the concert, many would be cautious of blocking the view of the stage for shorter concertgoers. The pre-show playlist was one of my favorites, and it featured some artists similar to Gracie before the show started. Some crowd favorites were Chappel Roan, Frank Ocean, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift. Many of the concert attendees started the concerts early, screaming these songs at the top of their lungs, long before the action even started.
From arriving at the venue, you could spot every fan on the street from their hair bow. These bows are a nod to Gracie’s signature accessory. The mantra of the night was “Follow the bows!” Sitting on the balcony of the Armory, I was separated from the giant crowd of thousands. This provided an opportunity to watch the group below and see the crowd’s reactions to the concert. Multiple people were injured or needed assistance throughout the concert, and I watched as many fans helped each other find help and alert security, sometimes Gracie herself.
Gracie’s opener for the “The Secret of Us” tour was ROLE MODEL and he did not disappoint. He and his band were very entertaining with blips of comedy and distinctive music that I didn’t expect at a pop artist’s concert. It provided fresh beats and chords that many fans never heard but were enjoying anyway. The songs were catchy, and you could learn the lyrics quickly. ROLE MODEL is what I would describe as an alternative country artist, with some hip-hop/pop songs in the mix.
Something I’ve always loved about Gracie Abrams’ music is her raw and emotional lyrics. They open the window for you to see exactly what she is thinking. She never backs away from letting you into her emotional experiences. The transitions from emotional ballads at the piano, to thrilling and jumpable bops were exciting and gave me breaks from dancing and singing throughout the night. My favorite song of the night was “Us” from her sophomore album “The Secret of Us.” The swaying tempo and interesting melodies with everyone singing along made the moment feel intimate and energetic. She started slow and acoustic and then brought in the beat and turned it into frenzied excitement.
During the show Abrams took time to tell us about some of her beliefs and values. Spending a few minutes talking about political issues, and where she stands with current policies in our country. She took the time to encourage audience members to go out and vote this fall, and research more about this year’s presidential election. Inside the Armory, Planned Parenthood showcased a booth with information and tote bags as they were helping sponsor Abrams and her message on her tour.
Although the crowd was hot, tired, and clustered together, many did not stop singing along. You could spot a true Gracie Fan from their dramatic dancing and screaming along to every single lyric. Abrams’s lyrics are so literal that they get wordy, and some songs have little repetition. I was most impressed with the fans who were able to get every single word on the dot. The biggest sing-along moment of the night was the bridge to the hit song “I Love You, I’m Sorry”, that gained fame and attention on social media after the release of “The Secret of Us”. The lights beamed, arms in the crowd shot up with fingers pointing, while the room electrified as the volume grew. When Abrams would invite the audience to join in by pointing the mic toward the crowd, the energy in the Armory would amplify dramatically, exciting the fans.
This was one of my favorite concerts that I’ve attended. The crowd was so kind, the music was incredible and every song was honest and profound. Every single song was so much fun to sing and dance to, as Abrams was passionate, humorous, and quite the performer. She gave everyone in the Armory that night an experience they would never forget.
