Live Review: Lizzy McAlpine - Club Academy, Manchester 17/11/2022
Lizzy McAlpine brings a slice of Philadelphia sunshine on a rainy Manchester night.
Delivering a set of both beautifully intimate acoustic songs, as well as uptempo pop bangers, Lizzy conquered the damp Mancunian crowd.
The night began with a lovely opening set from fellow Philadelphian Ben Kessler. His unique brand of soft pop rock was the soothing introduction we needed. Ben seemed incredibly comfortable with the crowd, talking for long stretches between songs explaining the lyrical intricacies of each track. He is definitely a future (soft) pop star to look out for.
Then it was Lizzy time. Opening the set with the powerful ‘an ego thing’, Lizzy’s vocal prowess was on full display. She effortlessly meanders her vocal cords around intricate runs and phrases, yet never distracts from the lyrical narrative. Lizzy McAlpine is not only a pop singer, but a clear musical talent (no wonder Jacob Collier is so keen to collaborate).
She followed this up with the catchy ‘Over-the-Ocean Call’ taken from her debut record ‘Give Me A Minute’. The three piece band setup worked effectively, with lots of technical triggering and sampling tricks used to help faithfully recreate the detailed production of the recording. A special mention to drummer Maxwell Flanders who’s fills were tasteful yet powerful throughout the set.
Introduced as “a song about slurpees”, next up was ‘all my ghosts' taken from her 2022 album ‘five seconds flat’. A certified pop banger, it was the first time in the show Lizzy picked up her acoustic guitar. The Manchester crowd was in full voice for this one, with people even attempting the harmonies and backing vocal lines. A lovely moment.
A particular highlight was the entirely acoustic set in the middle. Performing an unreleased song ‘panic room’ written “a few days ago”, the room was silent, consuming every single word Lizzy sang. It must have been what the Greenwich Village folk scene was like in the 60s. Lizzy’s voice was yet again effortlessly beautiful. Probably my favourite song in the set, Lizzy then performed ‘Angelina’ ably accompanied by guitarist Kelly. A special mention to the tasteful Mayer-esque guitar solo Kelly played which sent the audience wild.
Ben Kessler rejoined Lizzy to perform their duet 2020 single ‘False Art’. Their voices are so distinctly unique, yet work so effectively together. It was great, although it would have been nice to have heard them perform ‘reckless driving’ too.
The most wholesome moment of the night was definitely during her 2020 hit ‘Pancakes For Dinner’ where people in the crowd lit their phone torches in the air with coloured paper illuminating the room, almost like a DIY Coldplay gig. Lizzy was clearly touched by this gesture.
Ending the evening with the chilled out ‘Pancakes for Dinner’ before following with the uptempo ‘orange show speedway’, Lizzy illustrated the depth of her songwriting ability. Being able to write and perform both intimate acoustic tracks, as well as thumping pop hits, Lizzy is a true singer-songwriter. ‘Orange show speedway’ feels like a classic 80s radio driving song, making you question whether Tom Petty or Bruce wrote this one back in ’83 (a massive complement).
Lizzy McAlpine conquered Manchester, delivering her unique brand of soft acoustic folk and uptempo pop rock. With a voice like butter, catch her live show before she’s inevitably touring arenas.
Words by Euan Blackman
Photography by Kate Derbyshire