An Evening with Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner: An Intimate Acoustic Show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre

On Thursday, March 20th, Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner held an hour-long acoustic show at the Brooklyn Paramount Theatre in New York. Abrams announced the show, held in partnership with American Express, a few days earlier via a soon-deleted Instagram story. Tickets sold out in minutes due to the venue’s capacity of around 2,000 people. The intimacy of this show came as much of a surprise, mainly because Abrams is set to headline two consecutive shows at Madison Square Garden in July. It is clear that Abrams finds comfort in playing in smaller venues as it allows her to hone in on her lyricism as the centre of her artistry. 

While only an hour in duration, this show represented something far more widespread: the four-year professional relationship between Abrams and Dessner. The two began working together in 2021, with Dessner co-writing and producing fan-favourite songs like Camden and Rockland on her second EP, This Is What It Feels Like. Since then, Dessner has played a pivotal role in Abrams’ debut album, Good Riddance, and most recent breakthrough album, The Secret of Us. Their partnership is a rarity in the music industry nowadays, where the quality of the music and the emotion they can encapsulate triumphs any mainstream success. 

The pair is quite familiar with bringing their creations to the stage together. After releasing Good Riddance in 2023, Abrams and Dessner held three acoustic shows in New York, Nashville, and Los Angeles. A year and a half later, at an entirely different place in her career, Abrams remains dedicated to the authenticity of her concerts by continuing this tradition alongside Dessner. 

Immediately upon entering the venue, it was an immersive experience. Each ticketholder received a card outlining all the perks available before the show! Guests could enjoy exclusive merchandise, a The Secret of Us themed photobooth, complimentary pizza, and a beverage. Everyone could also pick out one of Gracie’s chosen poetry books from the Book Nook. Dream Work and Devotions by Mary Oliver, Risking Everything by Roger Housden, and The Hurting Kind by Ada Limón were available to choose from. 

Abrams started the show with Block Me Out, and Dessner played guitar beside her. This song marks the beginning of the Good Riddance era and the career-defining leap Abrams took by releasing her first studio album. In my opinion, it is also one of her best songs. Then, acknowledging the power of her fans, Abrams introduced I Love You, I’m Sorry and said she was grateful for the overwhelming support of the song. After that, we travelled back to 2021 with Camden, a popular song amongst older Gracie fans and a marker of the beginning of Dessner and Abrams’ relationship. Abrams paused to tease a new song she and Dessner crafted called It Doesn’t Sit Right, possibly hinting at the next record! 

Soon after, Abrams sang Best, Packing it Up, Cool, and Two People. She and Dessner then performed Amelie on a whim after someone in the audience told Abrams that it was her 13th birthday and her name was Amelie. Abrams and Dessner’s final three songs before exiting the stage were Normal Thing, I Should Hate You, and Free Now. Confused faces filled the room; many were shocked that the show was only an hour long. However, the duo promptly returned onstage to perform an unplanned encore of Abrams’ first number one charting song, That’s So True.  

Having seen Gracie Abrams four times, from opening for Taylor Swift in 2023, headlining Radio City, and being one of the main acts of Jingle Ball 2024 at Madison Square Garden, I’ve witnessed her development on the stage throughout her career. Yet this show was by far the most special. To my delight, the setlist was Good Riddance heavy. Songs that felt neglected by Abrams on her most recent leg of The Secret of Us Tour received another chance to shine. 

Most importantly, the chemistry between Abrams and Dessner onstage is unmatched, and their talents and charisma are infectious. So, if a Gracie Abrams and Aaron Dessner show comes to a city near you, be sure to catch it for the experience of a lifetime.