Brittany Howard’s planned solo set at Tuscaloosa benefit concert instead becomes band’s first show in over seven years
Alabama Shakes staged a surprise reunion Wednesday night in Tuscaloosa as a planned Brittany Howard solo show instead turned into the band’s first concert together since 2017.
Howard was booked to perform a “short and intimate” set at the Tuscaloosa Get Up 3 benefit concert at the Bama Theatre, AL.com reports, and initially took the stage alone, but after performing a solo acoustic rendition of her Jaime song “Short and Sweet,” she left the stage, telling the audience, “I forgot my electric guitar.”
When she returned, the video backdrop that read “Brittany Howard” instead changed to “Alabama Shakes,” as Howard was accompanied by her band mates, bassist Zac Cockrell and guitarist Heath Fogg.
“If there’s one place we’re gonna get back together, it’s gonna be Tuscaloosa,” Howard told the audience; Alabama Shakes previously performed at the last two Tuscaloosa Get Up benefits in 2012 and 2013.
The mostly reunited Alabama Shakes — original drummer Steve Johnson, who has dealt with legal issues in recent years, did not take part, AL.com notes — then delivered a nine-song set of highlights and hits culled from their two studio albums, 2012’s Boys & Girls and 2015’s Album of the Year Grammy-nominated Sound & Color, as well as “Always Alright” from the Silver Linings Playbook soundtrack.
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The Athens, Alabama band last performed together in August 2017 at the Osheaga Festival before going on hiatus. Since then, Howard embarked on her solo career, releasing two LPs, 2019’s Jamie and this year’s What Now.
The band has not yet commented on whether the Tuscaloosa reunion was a one-off or a signal that Alabama Shakes’ hiatus has officially come to an end. Having concluded her What Now tour, Howard does not currently have any more solo shows on her schedule
