The Aces: The Soup Kitchen, Manchester — Review
All-female group The Aces are inspiring a fanbase who are equally as dedicated to their project as the band are themselves. In this review, Emily Claypole explains why The Aces can only get better from here.
Having already seen Utah-based alternative pop group The Aces at the Hare & Hounds in Birmingham four days earlier, I was curious as to how they planned to top such an incredible performance. This was their first headlining tour following the release of their debut album, When My Heart Felt Volcanic, earlier this year, an album that has earned the female four-piece international recognition and cemented their place in the contemporary music scene. If it has shown one thing, it is that sisters Alisa and Cristal Ramirez, Katie Henderson, and McKenna Petty aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The location was The Soup Kitchen — an aptly named venue who provide all artists with free soup before their set — which hides itself on the outskirts of Manchester’s city centre. Despite being a small basement-venue with a capacity of only two hundred, The Soup Kitchen provided a warm and intimate live music experience, where there wasn’t really a bad seat in the house. Fans began lining up almost two hours before the doors were set to open — a true display of dedication in this British winter weather.
The sold-out show began with a lively supporting performance from Luna Bay, an indie-rock band from London who have previously toured with the likes of Nothing But Thieves and The Academic, and who succeeded in energising the crowd with their guitar riffs and beach-y sound. At this point, the venue was packed, and buzzing with anticipantion of The Aces taking to the stage — fans had even come from as far as Austrailia and Singapore to attend the show.
As the familiar first notes of ‘Put It on the Line’ filled the room, the band made their way onto the stage with an effortless confidence and energy, one that continued throughout the entire performance — despite having just played nine shows in thirteen days, across five different countries. Lead vocalist Cristal Ramirez dominated the stage, belting out every lyric, undeterred by the vocal rest she was having to endure since the tour began.
‘Stay’ followed, an upbeat track that got the audience moving and demonstrated Alisa Ramirez’s drumming prowess, whilst her older sister strutted the stage, microphone in hand, as if it were the only place she belonged.
The halfway point of the set was signalled by one of the band’s older songs, ‘Baby Who’, that featured on their 2017 EP, I Don’t Like Being Honest. The Aces performed this track in what I felt was a slightly different way than the gentler, softer studio version. With Cristal picking up the guitar for this one, it felt more fast-paced and staccato in comparison to the original version— a pleasant change that was perhaps more appropriate for the nature of the set.
‘Waiting For You’, a slower, ballad-esque song, was a particular stand-out moment for me. Being the first of the bands songs I‘d ever heard, McKenna Petty’s rhythmic bass, combined with Cristal’s smooth vocals, reminded me of the moment that I first fell in love with The Aces’ music, and this will surely be one of my favourite musical experiences of all time.
The girls then left the stage, supposedly signalling the end of the performance, but the “encore”-chanting audience weren’t fooled. They hadn’t even performed their most recognisable single, ‘Stuck’, which had initially thrown them into the spotlight back in 2016. The band then returned to the stage, complete with mischievous smiles, for one more song. ‘Stuck’ was the perfect end to a perfect set, with Katie Henderson’s skilful riffing being a definite highlight of the performance.
Throughout the fourteen-track set, it became clear to me that the audience knew almost every word of every song — something that is lacking when attending concerts in larger venues with artists of greater fame. A sense of communal admiration and appreciation for these girls was apparent, and it only served to make the experience all the more memorable. A combination of this and the band’s electric stage presence kept the audience engaged and dancing throughout each song.
It’s safe to say that things for The Aces can only go up from here: with a successful UK and European headline tour under their belts, and an upcoming 28-date tour in North America in the new year, I can’t wait to see what the future holds for them.
The Aces’ debut album ‘When My Heart Felt Volcanic’ is out now! Listen to Emily’s interview with the band here:
If you would like to read more about The Aces, find their tour dates, or listen to their music, then check out their website with the link below.
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