From the moment Alex Warren hit the Bottom Lounge stage in Chicago, it was clear this was going to be an unrepeatable show, thrilling from start to finish.
To kick off the magical night, up and comer singer-songwriter, Michael Sanzone opened with his upbeat, hit single “The Fall”. You would never guess that this is his first tour based on his ability to capture an audience with his soulful and well polished vocals. A fan favorite, “Tear it Down”, a song about getting cheated on, allowed Sanzone to showcase his ability to pour emotion into every lyric. He then went into “Going, Going, Gone”, a song that reminds us that life is short and to take in every moment while you still can. Just when you think a crowd can’t get any better, the singer covers Walk The Moon’s feel good hit single, “Shut Up and Dance”. Feeding off the energy of the crowd, Sanzone brought his girlfriend, Tabitha Swatosh, out on stage before dedicating his most recent single, “Always Been You” to her. He ended the night with his very first single, “Home”, which has brought him great success with over 3 million streams on Spotify and also became a trending sound on TikTok. He kept the crowd on their feet and warmed them up for the main event.
As Warren burst onto the stage, the crowd erupted into cheers as he began to sing “Chasing Shadows”. Surely an I made it moment for the singer as the crowd sang lyric for lyric as loud as they could. Yard Sale and “Carry You Home” kept the momentum going before covering Lewis Capaldi’s “Hold Me While You Wait”, the beginning of what would become an emotional part of the set. Warren typically only covers one song a night, but decided to treat his fans with Robyn’s Dancing On My Own” as well.
Looking around a packed venue, tears stream from the audiences faces as Warren goes in to sing “One More I Love You”, “Save You a Seat”, “Headlights”, and “You’ll Be Alright, Kid”. The singer grew up facing quite a few significant challenges, including the loss of both his parents and experiencing homelessness at a young age, but despite these hardships, he persevered and turned his pain into inspiration. These four songs are arguably some of his most intense, and unfortunately are a little too relatable to numerous members of his fanbase. He has a rare ability to capture such raw emotion and put it pen to paper. The next song on the setlist, “Troubled Waters”, speaks to his resilience. The mood begins to lighten as he sings a beautifully written song for his wife, Kouvr. “Catch My Breath” makes the perfect song to dance to at your wedding because of its sweet and sentimental lyrics. Warren ends the night with fan favorites “Burning Down” and “Before You Leave Me”. He explains that “Before You Leave Me” is the song that he would consider his first viral hit with over 156 million streams on Spotify.
Alex Warren is a once-in-a-lifetime talent who shares his vulnerability by turning his pain into beautiful ballads that resonate with the heart. Giving a platform to the right person is important, and we certainly got it right with Warren. The singer has always been candid about his personal life, making him a relatable role model to his loyal fanbase.
Check out some fan taken photos posted to Instagram:
Follow the Artists:
Alex Warren: Instagram // Spotify // X // TikTok // YouTube // Website
Michael Sanzone: Spotify // Instagram // YouTube
