Welsh star, Strawberry Guy, delivers a dreamy night in an unforgettable performance.
Alex Stephens (commonly known as Strawberry Guy) powered through his stunning debut at the outdoor venue Last Concert Cafe in Houston, Texas, on June 9th. After falling ill with the flu, which forced him to cancel six consecutive North American shows, Stephens played an intimate concert that fans will talk about forever.
The show began with singer-songwriter AJ Woods from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Woods started the set by asking the audience if there were any birthdays being celebrated and played the “Happy Birthday” song on his harmonica. The crowd was silent and in awe as the singer’s voice swept over them while he gently strummed his guitar. As the set wrapped up, AJ spoke about his Texas run and expressed gratitude for being in Houston.
Once Wood’s set finished, you could feel the excitement and anticipation for Strawberry Guy. In the crowd, fans could be seen wearing strawberry-themed shirts, bandanas and even strawberry costumes. Before the set started, the artist’s tour manager Keaton informed the crowd that Stephens would be performing despite feeling lingering symptoms. The crowd roared as soon as the performer stepped on stage. He was in awe and stated that this was his biggest concert to date. Stephens began with “F Song,” his first ever single from 2018. The crowd was entranced, repeating the chorus, “Don’t waste time, you’ll never look back.” He then proceeded with the song “When Morning Comes” from his 2021 debut album Sun Outside My Window, released via Melodic Records. The crowd was starstruck and signing along through the whole night. The singer had many funny moments, such as letting the crowd know he might just melt into strawberry jam due to the Texas heat. Strawberry Guy captivated the crowd as he played hits such as “Without You” and “Birch Tree.”
During the intermission, Stephens took a picture of the crowd with his Polaroid camera. He has been taking a crowd shot at each show during this tour and plans on keeping them in his photo book. He then played an unreleased song called “You’re Not Alone.” After the track, fans pleaded for the song to be released as soon as possible. The track was a perfect segue into his final song, “Mrs. Magic.” The crowd roared and sang the viral song that has amassed over 375 million plays on Spotify. Despite the song’s slower tempo, fans sang along throughout the entire song. Once the song finished, the crowd roared louder and clapped non-stop. Stephens stated he’d be back in Houston with a band and at a bigger venue. Strawberry Guy played a remarkable show that fans will remember forever.
I am a Houston-based photographer who has been attending concerts since MP3 players were a thing. I graduated from the University of Houston in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in advertising. In my free time, you can find me headbanging at hardcore/rock shows, collecting movies, and training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu!
