Off the back of the release of debut album Like I Used To, Lucy Rose has embarked
on a lengthy UK tour to sing some songs and sell her wares (the Lucy Rose tea
and jam is particularly popular). On this chilly night in Birmingham, Pete Roe
opened and tried to warm the crowd’s hearts with his pleasant voice and
acoustic guitar. You can see why he has been picked to support Rose; he fits a
similar musical mould to her, delivering heartfelt vocals accompanied by intricate
folk melodies.
Roe set the stage perfectly for Rose, who shuffled into
the limelight rather shyly, picking up her guitar and starting the first song
without ceremony. It is this unassuming, down-to-earth personality which makes
Rose such a well-loved artist right now, as well as the strength of her work.
There is a mutual gratification at work throughout the gig; Rose is simply
thrilled to be playing to a full crowd, and the crowd reflect her own warmth
back at her in abundance. This atmosphere elevates the songs to a new level,
buoyed along by a buoyant crowd. Single ‘Middle of the Bed’ gets a raucous
reception and an impressive sing-along, while ‘Bikes’ provides a goose-bumps
moment as Rose sings “everybody scream out loud” and the crowd obliges with
almost religious fervour.
It would not do to pick out a single highlight, as there was
not a weak moment to be seen. ‘Shiver’ was as utterly heart-breaking live as it
is on record, ‘Watch Over’ just as bouncy and full of life. An encore
performance of ‘Don’t You Worry’ capped off a terrific set which showed all the
promise seen on Like I Used To and
transformed it into full-blown success. Even with all the superlatives thrown
her way, Lucy Rose still has her feet firmly on the ground, still selling her
own merchandise and talking to fans after the gig. It is clear, through both
her talent and humility, that she deserves all the superlatives she gets.
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