Show Review: Lizzy McAlpine at Denver’s Summit Music Hall
Lizzy McAlpine’s “The End of The Movie’ Tour sold out insanely fast. Fresh of a heart-breaking NPR tiny desk concert and a two amazing ‘Spotify Singles’, Lizzy kicked off her tour at Denver’s Summit Music Hall to a packed venue of adoring fans.
The night’s show was opened by Olivia Barton, the up and coming singer-songwriter playing her heart-felt songs to an already packed room as young fans eagerly awaited Lizzy to hit the stage. Barton’s simple guitar playing paired with her outstanding vocals had the crowd engaged from the start of her set. Cheers filled the room and the young crowd singing along loudly to each song, causing Olivia to pause and with a smile on her face, sincerely appreciate that the crowd “Knew the words”.
Olivia wrapped up her opening set with 2 unreleased songs that will sure be on repeat by the new fans she captivated this evening.
As Oliva exited the stage and Lizzy’s crew began prepping for her arrival to the stage, the amazing set design was on full display. Designed by Kat Borderud (who’s also worked with Japanese Breakfast and Turnstile) the back drop and props encapsulated the feeling of a suburban living room. Creating an immense feeling of closeness and intimacy as Lizzy hit the stage with acoustic guitar in hand, as if she was about to play songs for close friends in her living room at home.
Instant cheers of “Lizzy, Lizzy, Lizzy” erupted as she graced the stage, the rest of her band settling behind their respective instruments. With a charming as she and smile the band cut into ‘An Ego Thing’. The addition of the band behind Lizzy elevated the live renditions of her songs to higher levels of emotional resonation with the crowd. The lighting design only elevated this, creating an intense cinematic feeling paired with McAlpine’s performance. The hardest hitting example of this with the performance of ‘Doomsday’ The building crescendo and Lizzy’s belting lyrics matching the energy of the red glow cast from behind the singer.
Halfway through her set Lizzy began strumming into her massive hit ‘Ceilings’, catching fans off guard that “she’s playing it so early”. As surprised as fans were for where this song was placed in the set list, it allowed for Lizzy to follow it with two stunning new songs. One of which she took a seat on the couch set behind her, only deepening the intimacy of the set, almost making you forget that this was a sold out show in a big venue.
That feeling of closeness with the singer was constant through the rest of the nights set. The crowd as engaged and singing along to every lyric as Lizzy closed her set out with ‘Orange Show Speedway’, leaving the crowd on a more upbeat note than many of the heart-breaking songs that filled the set list.
‘The End Of The Movie’ tour wraps up in Oakland on May 13th. You wont want to miss Lizzy McAlpine when she plays your town next! Keep an ear out for her new releases, as the songs she debuted on this tour are sure to be hits.
