Arizona concert goers traipsed into Tempe’s Marquee Theatre on Saturday wearing their finest cowboy boots to dance along with Cooper Alan at his To the Bar Tour. The atmosphere was light, the drinks were flowing and the fans were more than ready for Alan’s take on modern country music- with his own cheeky twist.
Alan’s close friend Thomas Mac- a country star in his own right- opened the show with just an acoustic guitar and a wicked sense of humor to get the audience laughing and singing along to his impeccably chosen covers. The set could have dipped too far into karaoke territory but Mac brought everyone back with original tunes like “My Sister” and “Why Beer is Better Than Women”- the latter getting the fans chucking and singing along. He powered through brief technical difficulties with self-deprecating ease and kept the mood positive until the end of his set. The crowd loved him immediately and anyone not already on board was completely won over as he exited this stage.
While Cooper Alan’s performance couldn’t safely be called a family show, that didn’t stop families of all ages from flooding onto the floor in anticipation of his set. Alan bounded onstage to the tune of “This Ain’t Country” and set the tone for a high-energy, boot scootin’ evening. After his mashups and covers went viral on TikTok during the downtime of the pandemic, Alan pivoted that attention into a successful career in country music as he continues to gain attention for his playful lyrics and deep Southern drawl.
Alan almost never stopped moving, singing with gusto while practically running from one end of Marquee’s stage to the other to interact with as many people as possible throughout the show. During “Can’t Dance”, he pulled out his best worst moves and encouraged the audience to join him in a dance battle that ended with several lucky fans chugging beer provided by Alan. He oscillated between lighthearted and more serious, injecting some gravity and even a hearty dose of romance into the show with his many songs about his deep love for his wife.
Every now and again, Alan would whip out his trusty acoustic guitar and treat the fans to some slower tunes before picking the energy right back up again to get everyone dancing. It was a party on a Saturday night and Alan’s natural charisma was magnetic as he and his band put their hearts into a lengthy setlist. The night wound down to everyone’s dismay but with the warm reception received on this headlining tour, we’re sure to see Alan back in the desert on his next run.
