Music Critic Hannah Gadd reviews The Aces performance at Utilita Arena Birmingham, praising their engaging stage presence
The Aces played their twelfth and final set supporting The Vamps on the ‘Greatest Hits’ tour at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena. Hailing from Utah, the all-female pop-rock quartet made their long-awaited return to the UK with new music, and the intention of playing their best performances yet. The band demonstrated to crowds of thousands that The Aces can put on an unforgettable live show. Fans of The Vamps gathered in the venue early, sheltering from the icy Birmingham weather and taking their places in the audience. With excitement building early due to Henry Moodie’s opening performance and the general buzz surrounding The Vamps’ last show of the winter tour, it’s safe to say The Aces were set to receive a warm welcome when they took to the stage.
The band demonstrated to crowds of thousands that The Aces can put on an unforgettable live show
Shortly after Henry Moodie’s set, the arena was submerged in a dim blue light and the band’s name was brightly projected behind their dark silhouettes. Flickering light effects accompanied mellow sounds as the pop-rock band prepared to give themselves to their last show on the UK tour. Lead vocalist Cristal Ramirez addressed the Birmingham crowd as the band were captured in their spotlights, eliciting an enthusiastic reaction from spectators. Amid this excitement, guitarist Katie Henderson began to play the riff of their latest release ‘Girls Make Me Wanna Die’. The opening song to the set established their performative dominance in the arena and captivated the audience with their spectacular showmanship and infectious melodies.
After taking a moment to introduce themselves, they began to play their colourfully composed single ‘Volcanic Love’ from their debut album. Alisa Ramirez’s rhythmic drum lines paired with Ken Petty’s buoyant basslines, showed me first-hand the way their music demands the crowd to clap and dance along to their contagious beats. It was at this point in the set when Ramirez put down her guitar and unlocked her full stage potential; her slick, crisp vocals never faltered. The third song they played, ‘My Phone is Trying to Kill Me’, was an exceptional display of the band’s vivacious stage performance and the energy was reciprocated by the crowd as they chanted their perfectly cynical lyrics back at them. Each member of the band possessed a delightfully engaging stage presence, particularly Ramirez who eccentrically danced down the runway, effortlessly interacting with fans and embodying the music through her movement.
…the energy was reciprocated by the crowd as they chanted their perfectly cynical lyrics back at them
‘Daydream’ and ‘Stuck’ ended the quartet’s set, fostering a cheery atmosphere in the packed arena. It was mesmerising to watch the whole band manifest their music into an electric live performance, undoubtedly picking up a plethora of new fans hoping for a UK headline tour in the near future. Through their dazzling musicality and zestful performance, The Ace’s put on an empowering show which saw a group of confident, bold women take the stage in an arena and make it uniquely theirs.
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