The Aces - 2022 Movin’ On Performance Review
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The all-girl band, the Aces, was the second act in the lineup of Penn State’s highly-anticipated return to the 2022 Movin’ On music festival, following Battle of The Bands winner, Women’s National Hockey League.
The indie-pop band exceeded the growing 5:00 PM crowd’s expectations, keeping each member of the audience jamming to each song in their setlist.
It was clear that the crowd wasn’t as familiar with the all-girl band relative to the other performers in the lineup that night, however, the Aces proved to have won them over, having the crowd sway and dance, making for some of the best moments in the early half of the festival.
Entering the stage, the members were dressed in black outfits with lead singer, Cristal Ramirez, wearing a black leather jacket that read the band’s name with the image of a skull.
The band's aesthetic matched their musical style, but they also showed off their dynamic sound over time performing hits from their earlier days to the current style they have evolved to.
The Aces gave the audience a glimpse of their lives growing up in their home state of Utah with their performance of “801”. This track had blues undertones accompanying the story of their small hometown.
They also showcased their pop side with the performance of their highly-streamed song on Spotify “Daydream” from their 2020 album “Under My Influence”.
From their album the band performed, “My Phone is Trying to Kill Me”, “Kelly”, and “Going Home''. Regardless of their familiarity with the band, the crowd easily caught onto the lyrics of each chorus, making for a better connection with the band’s performance.
Toward the middle of their set, lead singer, Ramirez, took a moment to introduce her bandmates, Katie Henderson (guitarist), Ken Petty (bassist), and her sister, Alisa Ramirez (drummer).
The band consistently made an effort to ensure the audience enjoyed themselves by continuing to put in a great deal of energy throughout the entirety of the performance.
Back-tracking to some of their earlier hits toward the end of their set, the Aces performed “Volcanic Love” and “Stuck” which were both released in April 2018.
With “Stuck” being the last track, they left the audience hyped up and ready for Fitz and the Tantrums who were to follow.
Ramirez’s vocals throughout the performance were very notable. Her unique sound which can be heard through the studio recordings of the tracks translated very well into the live performance.
Looking at their performance overall, the Aces created a buzz amongst crowd members, undoubtedly growing their fan base from their Saturday performance.
The band will be returning to the East Coast as openers for the boy band, Why Don’t We on “The Good Times Only Tour”, this summer.
Their outstanding performance Saturday night begs the question, will they be the second band to make a reappearance at Movin’ On, right after Fitz and the Tantrums?
Only time will tell.
Rating: 4/5
Abigail Chachoute is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email axc6070@psu.edu.
