Last week, U.K. fans were swept away with dizzying surprise and delight as Gracie Abrams announced an impromptu, limited run of special, intimate acoustic shows in Southampton, London, and Nottingham.
The weeklong build-up of sheer joy and excitement rose to a deafening crescendo of adoration as Abrams took to the stage at Nottingham’s The Level – hosted by Rough Trade Records and The Level.
Sweeping on to the stage as if performing to a group of her best friends, Abrams shone with quiet, sincere charisma and the familiarity and comfort shown between Gracie and her fans is truly a testament to her steadily growing prowess.
Latest single, ‘Where Do We Go Now’, was raucously sung at full volume by the adoring audience, showing us further evidence of Abrams’ skill at crafting songs that are universal, powerfully poignant, and painfully nostalgic.
The power Gracie Abrams holds is her ability to take her most heart-wrenching and deeply personal experiences and share those feelings and crises with her huge – and ever-growing – fan base. When tickets went on sale last week and sold out almost immediately it left a myriad of fans left hoping that waiting list tickets would materialise as the venue was stepped up from The Metronome to the bigger The Level – an insanely intimate venue for an artist of this magnitude.
Speaking to fans earlier in the day outside the venue, it was clear to see how special this event was for Nottingham’s – and presumably the whole of Northern England, Wales, and Scotland’s – contingent of Gracie Abrams fans. The fans queuing outside the venue proudly reported that they had been in line since 7am. Others had travelled from Glasgow and Cardiff.
Following on from ‘Where Do We Go Now’, Abrams performed acoustic renditions of hits such as ‘Abby’, ’21’,’ Rockland’, ‘Camden’, and ‘Faultline’, finishing with yet another glorious acoustic Taylor Swift cover ‘You’re On Your Own Kid’ – which was predictably belted with full gusto by the entire crowd.
Tears were shed, BeReals taken en masse, and novelty sunglasses gifted and worn. As the set came to its end, Abrams said her affectionate goodbyes and bounced excitedly off stage.
Abrams embarks on her ‘Good Riddance’ headline US tour on March 6th, followed by a summer-long support spot for the almighty – and aforementioned – Taylor Swift, followed by a full headline tour of the U.K. and Europe in the autumn of 2023. Tickets can be found HERE
Gracie’s debut album ‘Good Riddance’ is set for release on February 24th via Polydor Records.
Words by Sean Neale
