Soothing your soul and getting in a quick two-step dance, that’s what Alana Springsteen is here to do.
I was captivated by Alana when I watched her NPR Tiny Desk Performance last year and had been eagerly counting down the days until their second album “I HOPE THIS HELPS” was released. The album followed on from the success of “Twenty Something” released back in 2023, the new album details how Alana has prioritised herself: her wants, her wishes, her future, to enable her to grow.
Tracks like “note to self” and “sad hour” push Alana to confront herself, to recognise the negative thought patterns and the need to follow what everyone else wants, not necessarily what you want. The album is emotive, raw, and moulds into something that treads the line between traditional country influences and the modern sound of we are seeing emerge. This all combined was bound to be a great show.
It was Alana’s first time in Manchester, as part of her UK and Europe tour. Support came from Niamh McCrystal, an artist who finely tunes elements of country, folk, and pop into heartfelt songs about loss, love, and pushing through. Niamh performed standout songs “Write it Down” and “It’s Not You It’s Him” from her new EP “Guess I’m Alright”. The highlight for me was “Happy Anniversary” – this felt like something that would play in a dramatic cutscene moment in a Bridget Jones/Traditional romcom film.
The lights dim down, and we wait for Alana to take to the stage, we hear a bit of Shania Twain in the speakers and this gets the crowd ready. Alana takes the stage and we’re brought in to this angst high energy performance of “ghost in my guitar”.
As we move through the set, we start to see the journey Alana has gone through in her life. The intense emotions of a breakup/being in love we felt at the beginning is now being replaced with doubt and questioning who you are. At this point in the set, Alana asks us to all take a moment and to be present. To take a deep breath, wiggle our toes and just feel.
It’s a tender moment for the crowd, and Alana builds on this as she performs “learn to swim”. Through the song she weaves in a few lines from “Here Comes the Sun”, “Don’t Stop Believing” and “I Got A feeling” – all songs that have helped her through dark times it’s a joyous experience that really draws in the crowd.
If those iconic song snippets weren’t enough, we then get treated to a cover of “Torn”. Personally, I will always celebrate an opportunity to singalong to a bit of Natalie Imbruglia. The set starts to wind down and we see that high energy coming back into the room with songs such as “cowboys and tequila” and “goodbye looks good on you”.
This is a great first gig in Manchester for Alana and I’m confident there will be demand for her to return back soon. As the country scene in the UK grows, it’s great to see artists like Alana who are paving the way and establishing a new edge of country music.
Alana Springsteen’s tour will continue with tour dates in London and Belfast before heading across Europe and North America.
