The Aces
Article by Brittany Ormiston
Indy Pride presents: The Aces. Cristal Ramirez (lead vocals), Katie Henderson (guitar), McKenna Petty (bass), and Alisa Ramirez (drums) took the stage at Hi-Fi Annex with a level of charisma that instantly captivated the audience standing before them. All band members were adorned in neutral colors with McKenna’s royal blue Indianapolis Colts shorts adding a pop of color. Despite the high humidity, The Aces and the crowd danced the night away to a setlist filled with indie-pop perfection.
The evening began with an intense vocal introduction and an infectious bassline during ‘Solo.’ “Wake up from a dream // Where you’re screaming at me // You stay sound asleep, I stay awake solo,” sang Cristal. The Aces called out all the hopeless romantics in the room by performing another track from their most recent album, ‘I’ve Loved You For So Long.’ As a fun little surprise, McKenna walked over and planted a kiss on Cristal’s cheek as she sang the lyric “stealing a kiss in your brand-new apartment.” Our hearts were racing as the intro instrumentals rang out of the speakers for ‘Daydream.’ The guitar solo right before the second verse was exquisite, and fueled the crowd’s energy for the remainder of the track.
Everyone in attendance was walking on clouds, and were whispering among themselves as Cristal said, “Alright Indiana. Who’s in love with their best friend?” Several audience members screamed in response as Katie played the intro guitar riff of ‘New Emotion.’ Cristal delivered flawless falsettos, and acted out parts of the lyrics to add emphasis. An undeniable amount of nostalgia erupted as The Aces performed the 80s inspired, ‘Volcanic Love.’ A passion-filled romance was effortlessly described with the lyrics of being under the ashes and on fire, and Cristal’s vocal inflections during the chorus. The Aces were most excited to perform their new lustful single ‘The Magic.’ When technical difficulties arose part way through, McKenna jokingly said into the microphone, “You all are just too sexy!” The spicy lyrics had the crowd shaking their hips, and locked in on The Aces.
Behind catchy lyrics and lush instrumentals, The Aces are a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. “If you’ve had to fight your way to your identity and who you are…we love you and this song is for you,” stated Cristal as she introduced ‘Suburban Blues.’ The lyrics detailed what it was like growing up closeted, and not knowing if leaving their small town was ever going to be an option. Despite the desolate lyrics, the track was like a comforting embrace making you feel seen, accepted, and loved. Cristal admitted to holding back tears during the performance, and mentioned how special this first headlining show in Indianapolis had been for the band.
As the end notes for ‘Don’t Freak’ rang out, a pride hand-held fan was waved in the air and the crowd started clapping in sync. Alisa stood up from behind the drum kit, and blew kisses to everyone in attendance. The four band members wrapped their arms around each other and took a bow to close out the evening. After the Indianapolis show, we are stuck on The Aces for good.
HI-FI Annex in Indianapolis, IN on September 21, 2024
Photos by Everly Ormiston
