Surprise Alabama Shakes reunion highlights memorable night in Tuscaloosa
Reading time: 4 minutes
The Get Up 3’s lineup was already loaded with local talent, bringing hundreds of people to Bama Theatre Wednesday night. But the highlight of the show may have been the people not on the schedule.
Grammy-award winning artist Brittany Howard interrupted her own solo set by bringing out her former band, Alabama Shakes. It was the first time the band has performed together since 2017 and the crowd responded.
Keep reading for more on the reunion show + check out what else you might have missed at the show in Tuscaloosa.
Brittany Howard + Alabama Shakes
Brittany Howard was the headliner for the concert but it was supposed to just be a solo, intimate set in a venue that holds around 1,000 people.
Howard, who won a Grammy for the best rock song in 2021, didn’t take long before telling the crowd she forgot her electric guitar. She came back moments later, followed by the full band as the background graphic changed from “Brittany Howard” to “Alabama Shakes.”
The band, which won four Grammys as a group, brought out some of their most popular hits for their set including:
- Hang Loose
- Shoegaze
- Gimme All Your Love
- Hold On
For those in the crowd, it was a night they will never forget. But the impact was felt beyond the Tuscaloosa venue as national media outlets, including Rolling Stone, quickly started spreading the news.
The band is from Alabama, playing their first show together as “The Shakes” in Decatur in 2009. Just two years later, they released a four-track EP that gained national recognition.
They would eventually take on the name Alabama Shakes, putting out two albums including Boys and Girls in 2012 and Sound and Color in 2015. The latter won Best Alternative Music Album at the Grammys in 2016.
The band took a hiatus in 2018 as Howard began to focus on her solo career. It’s still not clear if Wednesday’s concert was a sign of things to come from the band or just a one-time special reunion.
The Get Up 3
While Alabama Shakes had not played a home-state show since headlining Sloss Fest in 2017, the band was always a regular around Tuscaloosa at venues from Egan’s to the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater. And they played in the first two The Get Up shows in 2012 and 2013.
This year’s concert was put together to benefit local artists as well as Druid City Brewing Company, a brewery that has become a favorite of the community for its beer and its willingness to host shows as an independent venue.
“This Get Up concert is a benefit for the brewery to help us continue to bring original music and art to Tuscaloosa and will go such a long way to give us a sturdy foundation to keep fighting for good and art in Tuscaloosa. Please share with any music and community minded ppl and let’s pack the Bama for a unforgettable night. Thank you everyone!”
~ Bo Hicks, Druid City Brewing Company owner
Before Alabama Shakes took the stage, the crowd got to see some other local talent including:
- Mike Cooley
- Lee Bains III
- The Wanda Band
- Jameson Hubbard
Did you get to see the Alabama Shakes reunion? Let us know by posting your photos + tagging The Bama Buzz on Instagram, X, Facebook + LinkedIn.
