Lucy Rose @ the Waterfront
Memorable and fun, for new fans and for old.
Bombay Bicycle Club collaborator and all round folk-rock sweetheart Lucy Rose released her second solo record Work It Out this July. On one night of her lengthy UK tour she dropped in to Norwich’s Waterfront, bringing with her the delightful sound of summer we all so greatly miss on these cold, dark evenings.
Doors were at the earlier time of 6.30 so when first support Billie Marten took to the stage; the crowd was small but eager. Performing solo with just a mic and an acoustic guitar, the innocent looking 16 year old captured the hearts and ears of the whole room within seconds of opening her mouth, one woman near the front remarking “This is gorgeous, I wish I could sing like she can”. An unlikely cover of Royal Blood’s Figure It Out was intriguing and delightful and closer Bird proved that this young talent is more than just a pretty face, with its delicate lyrics and stunning melody.
Jake Isaac followed, flanked by a drummer, bassist and guitarist, sounding like an obscure combination of hip-hop and Mumford and Sons. His soulful, dynamic sound took a minute to adjust to, but after performing an acoustic track from within the audience (yes, you read that right) the room was on his side, powering him through to an epic conclusion with cheers and a clap-along.
A long introduction signalled Lucy Rose’s arrival, no time being wasted on formalities as she dived straight into the upbeat Like An Arrow. It was clear from the off that her stunning vocals transfer perfectly from record to the stage, her beaming face almost as mesmerising as the beautiful sounds coming from it. While the crowd seemed reluctant to join in to begin with, it wasn’t long before the cheery, synth filled Cover Up got feet moving and arms waving. The first half of the set did seem to blend together a little but the highlights were enough to keep the atmosphere alive. “I recognise a lot of faces from a show we did here two and a half years ago”, she announced, noticeably wide-eyed with elation. “I’m sorry it’s been so long but it’s great to be back, even after two and a half years”. Rose certainly seemed aware of the communal, intimate feel to the evening, made all the more prominent by the number of die-hard fans clinging delightedly to the front barrier.
Middle of the Bed slowed the tempo but upped the energy, providing the evening’s first decent sing along as the audience finally found their voices – enthusiastic as, but perhaps not as immaculate as Rose’s. The tender pianos of Nebraska kept the passion going before Shiver, a highlight for sure, saw Rose playing acoustically, stood in utter silence as hundreds of wide eyes looked on in awe. Her dazzling vocals dancing over deep bass were a treat for the ears, too.
The more pop-inspired Till the End made a nice change from its mournful, acoustic predecessors as the show culminated in a blissful opportunity to sing and dance. “Seriously I cannot believe how many people are here tonight, it’s blowing my mind”, Rose said, looking out over the masses of cheering fans in front of her. Visually spurred on and re-energised, she closed the main set with a bang. The theatrical joyride that is Bikes saw the whole room scream and shout in unison as Rose commanded their every move, before Our Eyes’ punchy chorus coupled with bright white lighting ended the set on a dazzling peak. The encore was short but sweet, featuring Into the Wild performed solo and acoustic, followed by the downbeat Work It Out. After saying a heart-warming thanks to her support acts, she digressed into an anecdote about writing her first “terrible, terrible songs. I had one that mentioned TGI Fridays!” before concluding the show with Red Face, from her 2012 debut album Like I Used To.
It can be challenging to make slow, acoustic music entertaining, but it would seem there’s no one better suited to the job than Lucy Rose. Hosting a fantastic show by all accounts, the gig was memorable and fun, for new fans and for old.
