Lucy Rose set the record straight in Ballard last Friday night. The British singer-songwriter brought out all of the stops after having to reschedule her October 2017 headlining date. Rose spent a Seattle night last October instead opening alongside Paul Weller on his A Kind of Revolution tour, meaning fewer songs from Rose. Unfortunately, Rose was also ill during that last performance through Seattle (though it’s hard to tell when your voice is that incredible)… this time, returning to headline, Rose was 100% again, her voice ringing ethereal.
Lucy Rose
As soon as Lucy Rose and co. took the stage, the notes to “Intro” the first song of her latest LP Something’s Changing began pulsing into the tiny room of The Sunset Tavern while the sold-out crowd applauded. The opening track seamlessly leads into “Is This Called Home”. After singing through these first opening pieces, the ice was broken, and Rose was connected with the audience.
Lucy Rose is known for her nostalgic sound – many of her songs are special because they hit an extremely personal note within her lyrics, and the quiver of her otherwise powerful vocals. Songs about love lost are easy to relate with, and Lucy does not hide from this pain, but instead embraces it. She joked while going through a few of her older tunes like “Middle of the Bed” that when someone once asked her what genre of music she describes her work as she told them, “just very, very sad songs”.
Though there is no denying the vulnerability of Lucy Rose’s work, there is strength in every story that Rose tells. Throughout the evening, Rose stopped a few times to express how thankful she was to have a full crowd on a Friday night when “people ought to be doing something fun instead”. Taking self-awareness to an extreme, Rose addressed that she figured that some people attending were likely forced to come to her show by a mate, and for that she was apologetic. Everyone around me was in shock – we were only about half way through the show by this point, and swooning over each note. It’s hard to believe someone creating such intense beauty could be doubtful, but it also makes sense. When something you create is so personal and close to you, it is hard to know how it is truly affecting others, and Rose is brave for performing under such circumstances.
Getting further into the set, Lucy Rose expanded on these thoughts by letting us know that between her previous albums and Something’s Changing, she had hit her own roadblock within her work. She began traveling around South America and playing free gigs while staying in her fans’ homes. She explained how moving the experience had been. Over this period of time, she learned of the misfortunes of peoples' lives in which she also had happened to touch with her music.
In a moment of quietness within the set, Rose began to play the song “Moirai,” which is “probably my most important song,” she self-described. Inspired by the Greek Goddesses of the same name, who determine the inescapable destiny of other's, Rose expresses her disappointment. She continued by performing the song, "I Can't Change it All," which she wrote for a fan whom she wanted to help, who had simply requested that she keep writing more music that could help him through his life's harder moments. While Rose played the soothing tracks on keys, there were no murmurs. Even I refrained from taking many photos during these specific songs – there are certain times the sound of a camera shutter just isn’t appropriate.
Charlie Cunningham providing backing vocals on one of Lucy Rose's songs.
Everything wasn’t all seriousness on stage, however. Lucy Rose was equally comfortable expressing insecurities as she was in making small talk much like you would with a good friend who keeps you laughing. She spoke of positives, notably when she nodded to her helpful husband and tour manager Will Morris & when she asked for and received help with audience vocals on songs like “Bikes," where we all screamed out loud. Even through the evening's hiccups, like the fainting of one audience member, and then the breaking of a glass right at the beginning of her last song, Rose was able to laugh things off and move on with the show, “JESUS, come on Seattle!”
Rose had left the stage originally with “Shiver,” arguably the most gut-wrenching piece of hers, so to wrap up the finale of her later encore, she opted to change up the night’s ending with her light-hearted love song “Like an Arrow”. We were all eager to help sing along, finding our own happiness in hers.
Charlie Cunningham
Starting the night off was another British singer-songwriter, Oxford-based Charlie Cunningham.
Very humbly, Cunningham plunged through a mirage of music, wooing the younger women in the front row, and hypnotizing the rest of us with his rhythm. Along the way, Cunningham confirmed Spanish influence within his playing style, something he developed while playing in Seville. This can be specifically noticed along sultry vocals on his song “Minimum”. Alone on stage with just his guitar, it is hard to believe such intricacies could be developed by a singular contributor. I’ll be keeping my ears peeled for more from this talent in the future.
