ShareGracie Abrams performing her The Secret Of Us Tour at The Motorpoint Arena on Wednesday 25th June 2025.
Review by Kevin Cooper
After a brief break from touring due to illness and the cancellation of her Nottingham date way back in March, Gracie Abrams triumphantly returned to the stage at the Motorpoint Arena on Wednesday night, greeted by a capacity crowd and a sea of bows, a now recognisable symbol of her devoted fan base.
She wasted no time in making the night an intimate affair delivering her set list on a sparse stage devoid of the elaborate spectacle often associated with pop shows, ensuring that the focus remained squarely on her words, music and presence. Opening with Felt Good about You, the predominantly young female crowd were up on their feet screaming with excitement.
Sounding so much like a wannabe Taylor Swift, the resemblance was there for all to see. Abrams supported her on her Eras tour, has worked with Swift’s producer Aaron Dessner, and her debut album, Good Riddance was indebted to Swift’s album, Folklore.
But stepping out of Swift’s shadow, she proved that she is an extremely talented artist. Throughout the night she showed herself not just as a vocalist but as a musician, seamlessly switching between eclectic, acoustic guitars and piano, fully engaging with her talented four piece band.
From her sultry haunting vocals on songs like I Love You, I’m Sorry and Where Do We Go Now? to tracks with more intensity like Risk and Blowing Smoke, Abrams did not hold back from showcasing the strength and control of her voice.
There was a B stage segment that was without doubt a real highlight. She stepped into a meticulous recreation of her bedroom, a nod to the set up she used for her intimate zoom concerts during the Covid pandemic which saw her deliver Cool and her break up ballad, I Miss You, I’m Sorry.
Back on the main stage for Us, Free Now and for her encore song That’s So True which spent an incredible eight weeks topping the UK charts, the crowd bounced and sang along in unison, challenging those who have described her music as being bland. Bringing the night to a close with the upbeat synth pop number, Close To You, there had been no fireworks or confetti, just her introspective and emotionally heavy lyrics that went down a treat to many of the crowd who were attending a concert for the very first time.