On July 20th, 2025, Alabama Shakes returned to Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Sunday night for the first time in nearly a decade. It was a performance that felt more like a long-awaited homecoming than a comeback. The band’s reunion — built on the legacy of their two landmark albums, Boys & Girls and Sound & Color — hinted at a promising new chapter filled with fresh material and deeper purpose. The crowd’s anticipation was thick in the air, many having waited years for the group to perform together again.
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Before their set, the stage was blessed by one of soul’s enduring greats: Lee Fields & The Expressions. The steady torch of soul dressed in a radiant red suit with gold trim, Lee Fields took the stage with timeless swagger, channeling the spirit of the legends before him. Backed by a tight six-piece band, he delivered a string of love-soaked ballads like “You Can Count On Me,” “Never Be Another You,” and “Forever” — each one a reminder of love’s joy and responsibility. With every lyric, Fields seemed to reach out not just to ears but to hearts, inviting the audience to feel rather than simply listen.
Between songs, Fields spoke with the gentle authority of a preacher: “Are you happy?” he asked the crowd, checking in like a spiritual guide. By the end of “Make the World,” Fields had filled the venue not just with sound, but with gratitude and grace. It was the kind of supporting performance that truly elevates a show.
As the sun dipped behind the iconic sandstone, the stage transformed into a lush garden scene in anticipation of Alabama Shakes’ imminent arrival, with vines curling around instrument stands and crickets whispering from the speakers — a nod to the band’s Southern roots. Then came Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Run Through the Jungle,” the walk-on track that pulsed with grit and anticipation as the crowd swelled with excitement.
Brittany Howard emerged, radiant in a feathered white dress and glowing beneath the spotlight. She opened with “Dunes” and immediately captivated the crowd with a force that was less about power and more about presence. Each note she delivered landed like a revelation. It was clear from the first moment: this wasn’t just a return — it was a reintroduction.
The setlist bridged old favorites and unreleased gems, including “Hang Loose,” “Guess Who,” and “Gimme All Your Love.” At the height of the show, the audience erupted for “Hold On,” singing nearly in unison, a moment that spoke to just how deeply this music lives in people’s lives. Howard reflected after the song, “I just never in a million years thought I’d be at Red Rocks in front of all these people.” She then flowed into “This Feeling,” and the crowd surrendered — not just to the music, but to the raw honesty of the moment.
New songs like “Another Life” and “American Dream” pointed to the band’s evolution — more expansive in theme but still rooted in soul. The encore of “Sound & Color,” “Joe,” and “Always Alright” sealed the night like a thank-you to fans, the venue, and the music that brought them here.
Alabama Shakes reminded us why we fell for them in the first place. Even though the band’s initial tenure was rather brief, their music lives on in perpetuity, timeless so long as it endures in the hearts of those who love it so dearly. This show proved that. We just have to hold on.
All photography by Maya Boustany.