Brittany Howard’s Force-of-Nature Voice Proves The “Alabama Shakes” Haven’t Missed a Beat During Their Absence – Photos and Review of the Alabama Shakes Concert at the Sunset Cove Amphitheater in Boca Raton, FL

Music lovers streamed into Boca Raton’s Sunset Cove Amphitheater last night as the Alabama Shakes took the stage under a soft Florida breeze, delivering a set that reminded everyone why this band was so deeply missed during their years away. Returning from their hiatus with a brand new (but yet unnamed) album, the band delivered their signature blend of bluesy folky gospel-y rock to the waiting South Florida audience, marking their first return to the Sunshine State in almost 10 years.

The evening began with the bluesy, soulful stylings of Lamont Landers, a rising artist (that you might have seen on America’s Got Talent) whose voice carries a well-worn maturity that belies his years. Taking the stage promptly at 7 p.m. with a tight, groovy backing band, Landers wasted no time warming up the growing crowd that was still spreading blankets across the venue’s manicured lawn. His set blended original blues material with a few cleverly reimagined covers such as Pink Floyd’s “Time“, his velvety falsetto floating effortlessly over the amphitheater’s clear sound system. By the time he closed with the simmering, slow-burn number “How Long (Until the Rain is Gone?)” , the audience was fully attentive, recognizing they were witnessing a performer on the cusp of something bigger.

Finally, as the sun dipped below the horizon and sent streaks of orange and pink across the still waters backing the venue, Alabama Shakes emerged from the shadows backstage. Frontwoman Brittany Howard greeted the cheering crowd with a wave before launching into “Rise to the Sun” and “Hang Loose“, kicking off a performance that showcased the band’s remarkable range. Howard’s voice remains a force of nature—capable of shifting from an angelic solo-choir to guttural roar to a tender whisper within a single phrase, often leaving the audience in a hushed awe with teary eyes. The band moved seamlessly through their catalog, touching on the raw energy of Boys & Girls and the experimental depths of Sound & Color (playing nearly the entire album in full), all while testing out new material (“Another Life“) that hinted at an exciting creative chapter to come.

The chemistry on stage was incredible, with impromptu jams happening in between songs without a word ever exchanging between members. Casual fans swayed in the general admission section, where the lawn’s gentle slope provided everyone with a clear view of the stage, while the hard-core faithful stood mesmerized near the front. The venue’s simple concessions kept the focus squarely on the music, and the shimmering lake beyond the stage acted as a beautiful natural backdrop. As the final notes of the encore rang out and the crowd spilled slowly toward the parking lot, the consensus was clear: this was a world-class performance by the Alabama Shakes in a setting that felt perfectly intimate for it.