At Clearwater show, Alabama Shakes move through their catalog like it’s still being written
The Thursday night performance blended early hits, deep emotion, and new songs into a set driven by memory and momentum
Brittany and the band walked onstage without much ceremony, skipping the kind of dramatic buildup that usually signals a long-awaited return. At center stage, Brittany Howard shimmered in a loose, silver, tinsel-like robe, its wide sleeves catching the light as she held an inverness green Gibson SG. “Rise to the Sun” opened slowly, unfolding as the audience settled into the set.
“Hang Loose” swung loosely before “I Ain’t the Same” tightened the groove, the rhythm section locking into a steady pocket. Drummer Noah Bond grinned through the early stretch as the band moved through familiar early material, drawing one of the night’s first big responses when the last notes landed.
Howard broke the flow with an easy smile. “If you feel like singing the words, sing the words,” she said. “If you feel like shaking your hips, shake your hips. Let people be people out here tonight.” The venue shifted with it, settling into a more communal tone.
“Future People” built gradually before opening into a forceful finish, the lighting intensifying as the drums pushed forward in a driving breakdown that carried energy through the amphitheater.
“Guess Who” kept things steady before Howard introduced the band and reflected on their beginnings as high school friends carving out time around work schedules. Early rehearsals, she said, were simply time set aside to play because they loved it, never expecting the path that followed: touring, new places, and eventually returning home with a changed perspective.
“I remember sitting on my couch for the first time… and just being like, whoa, what has happened?” she said, before adding that she never wanted it to end. Applause carried the thought forward as she turned back to her guitar.
“This Feeling” arrived directly out of that pause, keeping the set moving.
“Don’t Wanna Fight” hit immediately, the opening notes drawing one of the night’s biggest crowd reactions.
“Gimme All Your Love” delivered the most sustained build of the evening. A breakdown stretched the tension before the chorus returned, organ lines rising through the mix and carrying the song forward before the band faded offstage.
They returned with the new single “American Dream,” continuing the focus on newer material. Brittany Howard then asked, “You ready ladies?” before launching into “Drive By Baby,” a fast, propulsive track that briefly shifted the set’s momentum as the backing vocalists helped drive it forward.
For the final stretch, Howard framed a bit of stage tradition as “words of fortuitousness and blessings.” With a thumbs-up, she offered a loose list of hopes: less stress, lower bills, cheaper housing, cheaper groceries, and relief wherever life feels heavy. “Whatever may ail you,” she said, “I hope you find some healing and I hope you find some happiness,” before joking that she hoped everyone’s pets would live to 35 years old.
“Always Alright” followed, driving the finale forward as the organ cut through the mix and the performance pushed toward its close.
By the end, Alabama Shakes felt fully present in the moment, drawing from a compact catalog but treating each song with the weight of something long-established. The set moved naturally between eras and moods, with older material landing as instant touchpoints and newer songs expanding what the band is still becoming.
