Live Report: Alex Warren lights up Iveagh Gardens with his refreshing candour

Alex Warren, formerly known as a YouTube prankster and TikTok creator, has just recently found his way onto the stage.

Born and raised in California, he began uploading videos on YouTube at the ripe age of 10 years old. What started with skateboarding content, comedy, and prank videos has since developed into a serious music career.

In 2021, the TikTok star began independently releasing music and was signed to Atlantic Records the following year.

Warren's international breakthrough came earlier this year, with the release of his viral hit 'Ordinary'; the track peaked at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, topped the charts in Australia, Canada, and the UK, and became the longest-running number one song on the UK Singles Chart of the 2020s thus far.

In February, the now 24-year-old embarked on his international debut tour. The Cheaper Than Therapy tour has taken him from North America to continental Europe and the UK, right through to Dublin's Iveagh Gardens, where he delivered a stellar vocal performance.

Opening with 'Burning Down,' his deep, husky vocals sounded through the park, complemented by tight, punchy drums and shimmering guitar riffs. Waving their arms and swaying from side to side, the crowd chanted along in unison.

Dressed in a light brown button-down shirt, Warren smiled wide as he looked over the audience. From the moment the singer stepped on stage, he charmed fans with his approachable and cheerful personality. By cracking jokes in between songs, sharing anecdotes of his life, and even offering the mic to especially eager concertgoers, he created a light-hearted and intimate atmosphere.

 

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Even when talking about traumatic events in his past, Warren's nonchalant attitude didn't waver: "If you don't know anything about me, hi, my name is Alex. My dad died when I was a kid, and my mom drank herself to death. And that's kind of my entire personality at this point."

"When my parents died, I felt so lonely and surrounded by so many people. And I had this realisation that everyone here goes through the same thing. And I have written a song about it."

Pushing all the previous banter aside, Warren gave a poignant performance of 'You Will Be Alright Kid,' a reassuring anthem to his younger self. His vocal delivery was nothing short of enchanting, switching effortlessly between mellow tones and soaring high notes. Tangerine clouds drifting over the stage and the fading light of dusk completed the dreamy ambiance.

Encouraging the crowd to "laugh, cry, and drink some Guinness," he then moved on to a more cheerful tune, performing a cover of Daryl Hall and John Oates' 'Rich Girl' with support act Medium Build. Dancing across the stage, the duo matched each other's energy, their raspy vocals sounding through the speakers.

 

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Warren crowned this cathartic evening, filled with both sombre and merry tunes, with his viral track 'Ordinary.' Behind him a projection of the moon, before him pyrotechnics shot up to the sky, illuminating the stage. Needless to say, everyone attending knew each and every line of this masterpiece.

Thousands of voices joined together, creating a tender atmosphere that lingered on long after Warren left the stage.