Gracie Abrams took the stage at the Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom in Chicago on Sept. 27. The setlist featured every song from her “The Secret of Us” album, as well as a few of her hits such as “I miss you, I’m sorry” and “21.” I am a huge fan of Abrams’ music already, but I thought that she was even better live.

I appreciated the show’s stage design, with a small LED sign and her band taking center stage. The stage offered her the ability to talk and connect with everyone who waited hours in line to get to the front row.

At every show, Abrams plays one surprise song that is not a part of the setlist. At Chicago’s show, Abrams played an unreleased song, titled “Cool” and announced the upcoming deluxe of her sophomore album, which came out Oct. 18. The surprise song was the highlight of the show to me. The crowd became silent after Abrams started singing the song, hanging on to every word of the new track.

Throughout the performance, Abrams took many moments to talk to the audience, whether that be thanking them for attending, reading signs, or receiving gifts from crowd members. Her effort to connect with the audience made it feel like a more intimate experience.

My fellow audience members sadly took on a different persona than Abrams’ kind demeanor. With a complete lack of concert etiquette, such as shoving other concertgoers, many of the people in attendance did whatever it took to stand at the barricade—even if it meant camping out for hours in advance or pushing their way through the crowd.

If you are a fan of Abrams’ music, her concert was an experience that I really enjoyed. Her music was incredible live and made me an even bigger fan than I previously was. I also thought that I was able to see a bit more of her personality.