It was a crisp, spring night on April 21 when Lizzy McAlpine performed the opening night of “The Older Tour.” Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theater in San Diego was packed with people anticipating McAlpine’s return to the stage.
The stage was set up like a cluttered recording studio with an assortment of audio equipment, wooden pilasters on a textured wall, and chairs for everyone. The band, including a drummer, piano player, and multiple guitarists, came out first. Then, McAlpine arrived, took a seat, and sang “The Elevator.” Throughout the concert, the band stayed stationary while McAlpine strummed a guitar in her chair. Warm lighting enveloped the stage from multiple lamps, and McAlpine looked comfortable despite the cold in a pullover and sweatpants that felt appropriate for the late night. The setup felt cozy, like the entire audience was in the studio as Lizzy McAlpine played them a few songs.
If you want to know the setlist of “The Older Tour,” look no further than the album. The show started with “The Elevator” and ended with “Vortex.” Every song on “Older” was included. For the first half of the show, the choice to play every song on “Older”’s tracklist in the same order as the album felt flat in terms of predictability, but the show fell into a rhythm when McAlpine played songs from previous albums and even a cover. Clearly, the track order was chosen with intention, and the toned-down production makes this tour feel more like a jam session in the studio than a high energy event catered to the general public. Her songs lend themselves to a specific connection, especially one-on-one between artist and fan. Vulnerable songs like “All Falls Down” are relatable through lyrics like, “22 / was a panic attack / I can’t stop the time from moving / And I can never get it back.”
“Older” is an album that flows and ebbs as it grapples with growing up and the way relationships shift over time. McAlpine has always had a sense of longing sadness in her songs, even the ones that appear happy. After the release of her 2022 album “five seconds flat,” her song “ceilings” went viral. It seems like an average love song at first, but there is a twist — McAlpine was in love with someone who was not real the entire time. After the success of this song, she embarked on a second tour for the album but found herself losing connection to her work.
In an interview with DIY Magazine she said, “I was like, ‘This is not me anymore — I have to go on stage and pretend to be an old version of me right now.’ It was so draining.” With the album “Older,” Lizzy McAlpine has taken some time off to focus on what she has to say as an artist, and it shows in the performance. Her version of “ceilings” on this tour is slower and more sweeping, taking advantage of the instruments at her disposal to tap into the emotional impact of the song.
All of the songs on “Older” are mature and cover heavy themes of growth and loss. However, the album was released on April 5, which was a quick turnaround for the tour beginning on April 21. The crowd was packed and buzzing in anticipation for most of the show, because they were waiting for the songs they knew, which were the ones from “five seconds flat.” The crowd was loud as they yelled about how much they loved McAlpine, but they were quieter during the performance. This tour will surely mature as it moves through its dates and people learn the album better, but in the meantime, McAlpine’s beautiful voice is easy to listen to.
I have been to three Lizzy McAlpine concerts, and she has always been an incredible singer live. She has a tone that suits the songs she writes perfectly. As a whole, McAlpine’s latest concert was relaxed and soft in a way that matched her reserved energy. As she has grown, her writing and concert styles have become more attuned to her down-to-earth personality. She is becoming a force in the indie-pop world. As a result, she gets to play a tour of songs she is proud of in a warm and homey recording studio, and her fans get to be there alongside her.
Image courtesy of AllEvents
