Alberta Cross @ Alhambra, Paris - March 30th, 2025

Opening for The Temperance Movement, Petter Ericson Stakee took the stage alone—just a man, a guitar, and a quiet confidence honed from years as the frontman of Alberta Cross. But without a band behind him, the set faced a tricky challenge: translating rock-leaning songs into a solo performance without sacrificing their impact.

Stakee chose to stick with his electric setup, running his guitar through effects and distortion but without a rhythm section to drive the groove or fill the space, some of the dynamics felt somewhat flattened. The electric treatment occasionally drowned out the emotional nuance that might have come through more clearly in a stripped-down, acoustic approach. A reworking of the arrangements to better suit the solo format might have drawn the crowd in closer.

That said, the songs themselves remain strong, and Stakee’s sincerity was never in doubt. His voice—soulful, slightly frayed around the edges—carried a quiet intensity that held the room’s attention and numbers like “Vagabond” and “Old Man Chicago”are just as good as tunes from many of his American peers in the alt-Americana scene like Kevin Morby or Israel Nash.

It was a strong set that highlighted Stakee’s songwriting and voice, and set the tone for a night steeped in soul, blues and rock ’n’ roll.