BY TER STAFF

Gracie Abrams mesmerized the crowd on Monday night at the House of Blues in Chicago, marking the opening night of her highly anticipated Good Riddance Tour. The sold-out venue, and just the first of two sold-out nights at the House of Blues, was filled with excited fans who couldn’t wait to hear her new music live for the first time.

Gracie, who had performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago last summer and who headlined at The Metro just over a year ago, was back with a bang. She kicked off her set with “Where Do We Go Now?,” one of the stand out tracks from her brand new album, “Good Riddance.” The crowd was immediately swept away Gracie’s unmatched vocals and the song’s powerful energy.

Gracie’s performance was nothing short of breathtaking. She played several songs from her new album, including “This Is What Drugs Are For,” “Full Machine,” and “Difficult”, to name a few. Her voice was raw and emotional on opening night, and she poured her heart into every note she sang.

But it wasn’t just her new material that impressed her Chicago fans. Abrams also played fan favorites from her earlier EPs, such as “21” and “Feels Like.” The crowd sang along to every word, clearly showing their deep love and admiration for the young artist.

As the night went on, Gracie’s energy continued to soar. She interacted with the crowd and thanked fans for coming out. “Welcome to night one of The Good Riddance Tour,” Abrams told fans. “I can’t wrap my head around that we are all in the same room together again,” Gracie continued. The “Rockland” singer also shared her admiration for the Windy City on Monday night. “Chicago is one of my favorite places to play, by a lot. I love it more than anything,” to which a fan in the back in the room reminded the rising star that Chicago loves her back. Gracie went on to introduce her band and perform more tracks from her early EPs and brand new album where the tour gets its name.

One of the highlights of the concert was when Gracie performed “Feels Like,” the standout track from her 2021, which she chose to close out the main portion of her set. The song, which used to open her set, was also a perfect track to lead fans into the encore. The crowd danced and sang along, clearly enjoying the infectious energy of the track.

The concert ended with a stunning encore of “I Miss You, I’m Sorry” a stripped down version of “Minor,” and a live debut of “Right Now”, the closing track from Abrams latest LP. Gracie left the stage to a thunderous applause, with the audience clearly wanting more. But even after the show was over, fans were buzzing with excitement, taking to social media to share their experiences and excitement for the rest of the tour.

It’s clear that Gracie Abrams is a rising star in the music industry, and following night two of her mini-residency tomorrow, her Chicago fans will surely be counting down the days until she comes back again, and they won’t have to wait too long. If you don’t have tickets to tonight’s performance, fans can also catch Gracie in Chicago, opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour on Sunday, June 4th.

With her raw talent and emotional lyrics, Gracie Abrams has the ability to connect with her audience in a way that few artists can. The Good Riddance Tour promises to be one of the best pop tours of the year, and after seeing Gracie’s tour kick-off in Chicago, it’s easy to see why.

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