Alabama Shakes • August 22, 2025 • Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
When Alabama Shakes take the stage, there’s no mistaking that the audience is in for something special. The Grammy-winning band, led by the incomparable Brittany Howard, has carved out a reputation as one of the most dynamic live acts. Their concerts aren’t just shows—they’re full-bodied experiences that combine raw emotion, ferocious musicianship, and a rare ability to make a large venue like Utah First Credit Union Amphitheater feel as intimate as a back-porch jam session. Seeing Alabama Shakes in concert is to witness a band completely in their element, channeling blues, rock, and soul into something visceral and unforgettable. Alabama Shakes are on their first tour in eight years. It has been a long wait, but it was worth it to see what we saw in West Valley City.
From the moment the lights dimmed and the band walked out, there was a sense of anticipation in the air. Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Run Through The Jungle” blared over the speakers. The tone was officially set. Howard’s presence alone commanded attention. Dressed in a flowing white coat that touched the ground, she carried herself with the authority of a rock veteran. She gripped her guitar and launched into the opening chords of “Dunes” with unrelenting conviction. The first notes ripple through the crowd, and within seconds, it’s clear why Alabama Shakes have become such a beloved live act: their sound is both tight and untamed, polished yet bursting with spontaneity.
Howard’s voice is the undeniable centerpiece. On record, her vocals already carry immense weight, but live, they ascend to another level entirely. She croons, bellows, and growls with equal intensity, sometimes within the span of a single song. Her delivery is raw and unfiltered, capable of moving from delicate vulnerability to full-throated fury in an instant. Songs like “Hold On” and “Don’t Wanna Fight” become showcases not just for her vocal power, but for the emotional truths she wrings out of every lyric. When she leans back from the microphone and lets her voice soar, it feels less like a performance and more like a cathartic release.
But Alabama Shakes are not a one-woman act. The band behind Howard—guitarist Heath Fogg and bassist Zac Cockrell- provide the perfect foundation. Each member plays with restraint and purpose, never overshadowing the vocals but adding layers of texture that make the live arrangements richer and more expansive than their studio counterparts. The interplay between Fogg’s guitar lines and BenTanner’s keyboards creates a lush backdrop, while Cockrell’s bass drives the songs with relentless groove. It’s a sound rooted in Southern tradition yet utterly modern in execution.
Brittany Howard told the audience, “Me and Heath Fogg here, and Zac Cockrell, we all went to high school together. We started writing songs thereafter. We’d drive to Tuscaloosa Alabama, they’d paid us $100. One day we got this call to open for this group called Drive-By Truckers. They were awesome to us. We got to travel and finally we got to do our own tour. We saw the world. I remember coming back. And the gravity of what was happening finally dawned on me. I looked around at my life, and I said, ‘I think that I did it. I think I get to be a musician now.’ And I sat down and I wrote this song to describe how I felt.” The band then played the beautiful “This Feeling.”
The setlist balances the band’s most recognizable hits with deeper cuts that allow them to stretch musically. Audience favorites like “Sound & Color” shimmer with psychedelic undertones, while tracks like “Gimme All Your Love” build slowly before erupting into thunderous climaxes that leave the crowd breathless. The slower, more soulful songs reveal the band’s versatility, offering moments of quiet intensity that draw the audience in as surely as the high-energy numbers.
One of the most striking aspects of an Alabama Shakes concert is the band’s ability to create an atmosphere of communal energy. The crowd doesn’t just watch passively—they participate, singing along, clapping to the rhythm, and swaying to the music’s pulse. Howard often locks eyes with audience members, her expressions reflecting the deep connection she feels with those listening. In those moments, the distance between performer and spectator collapses, replaced by a shared emotional journey.
Visually, the production is understated but effective. The lighting design mirrors the band’s musical dynamics—low, moody hues during the soulful ballads, and explosive bursts of color when the music crescendos. There are no gimmicks, no elaborate stage tricks. The focus remains squarely on the music and the emotion driving it. It’s a refreshing reminder that a band doesn’t need theatrics to create a lasting impression—just honesty, passion, and musicianship at the highest level.
By the end of the night, the energy in the venue feels transformed. Alabama Shakes have a way of leaving their audiences both exhausted and exhilarated, drained by the intensity of the performance yet uplifted by its emotional resonance. Howard told us she was going to give us an adult pep talk. “We don’t get enough pep talks as adults. I know it’s looking pretty dark out there. I was taught when I was little we gotta look out for each other. In the community, we’ve got to take care of each other. I think humans are good. Let me tell you why. As many bad things and destructive things we do as a human race, we also have all this opportunity to build bridges to connect to each other. ”
“We have this ability of empathy and love to take care of each other. To want to see each other progress and do better. Because this thing called life is hard. And I’m just gonna keep it simple and say if we can look out for each other and realize the humanity in each other, we’re going to be alright. We can take it to the next level. Alabama Shakes then played their final song, “Always Alright.” My favorite song of the evening.
When the final chords rang out and Howard thanked the crowd, the applause was thunderous and unrelenting, a testament to the profound impact of what everyone had just experienced.
Ultimately, an Alabama Shakes concert is more than just a collection of songs performed live—it’s an immersion into sound and feeling, guided by a frontwoman whose voice can shake rafters and break hearts in equal measure. It’s a reminder of the enduring power of live music to move, inspire, and unite. For fans, it’s a night they’ll replay in their minds long after the band leaves the stage. For newcomers, it’s the kind of show that turns casual listeners into lifelong devotees.
Alabama Shakes prove, every time they step on stage, that live music at its best is not about perfection but about connection—and in that respect, they deliver one of the most powerful concert experiences of their generation. It’s so good to have them back!