El Club in Detroit, MI — May 4, 2024

Cece Coakley opened for The Strumbellas for the second to last time at Detroit’s El Club, a wonderfully intimate venue that was perfect for Coakley’s acoustic set. While she noted that she usually isn’t a one-woman show – her guitarist was attending a family event – Coakley still captured the attention of the audience with absolute ease.

She kicked off the set with “Happy Adjacent”, the title reminiscent of her last two full-length releases, Happy Adjacent and Happy Adjacent (Deluxe). Many of her songs stem from crushes, hometown foes, and when played acoustically, hold a beautifully nostalgic tone to them. A standout moment of the night was when Coakley played her hit, “865”, which gained notable traction on TikTok. It was obvious to see that many lightbulbs went off over the audience once they realized that they’ve heard this song many times before. As a personal favorite song, it was beautiful watching the audience of all ages connect to the 22-year old singer/songwriter. Now that she had their attention, Coakley ended her set with “Halfway”, which included a crowd harmonization that took Coakley’s already outstanding vocals to a new level and made a memorable impression on those singing along.

There’s no better way to explain it than saying that Cece Coakley is made for the stage. Her vulnerable lyrics, true connection to her talents, and delicate vocals make her a standout artist wherever her career takes her.

Words & Photography: Isabel Dowell