Live Review: Lucy Rose - Rio Cinema, London 13/07/2017
I can honestly say I’ve never been to a gig in a cinema before, and I admit I was dubious about the whole thing. Sitting down? At a gig? Blasphemy! Nonetheless I hopped on a train and ended up at the Rio Cinema in Dalston for Lucy Rose’s cinema tour of her new album 'Something’s
Changing'.
'Something’s Changing' is Lucy’s third album, and was released on 7th July 2017 through Communion Records. However, instead of simply touring the album, she wanted to share her inspiration for the record through a short documentary that was filmed by her husband during their travels around Latin America. After viewing the film, the title of the album is even more poignant than I first imagined.
Prior to writing her third album, Lucy was inundated with requests from fans in Latin America to visit their countries and perform. It was decided that if they could provide her with accommodation and somewhere to play a gig, she would fulfill their request. And so for two months Lucy and her husband backpacked around Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Brazil and Mexico playing free shows and staying with her fans. Their journey will now serve as an unforgettable experience for Lucy – both musically and emotionally.
The documentary begins with Lucy talking candidly to the camera about her fears and uncertainties prior to the trip, however as the film progresses, you witness the scale of her popularity overseas with many fans passionately singing her songs back to her during gigs in the most random of venues. Lucy also embarks on an emotional journey and understands how her music has inspired many others in the most remote parts of the world. The film was heartfelt with appropriate humour, and was a fantastic introduction to the rest of her set.
After a brief interlude, Lucy returned to the stage with four other musicians, all of which were featured on her album. She began with 'Love Song', which is a slow, brooding song that oozes romance from beginning to end. She began working her way through 'Something’s Changed' with sprinklings of her previous work. Throughout the set Lucy gave a brief introduction to the songs and explained some of her influences. For example, she moved from guitar to piano for 'No Good At All', and explained that the song was about her own self-doubt prior to travelling, and Moirai was written after hearing her fan’s own personal struggles and the injustice faced by many.
Lucy rounded up the evening with 'Floral Dress' and fan favourite, 'Shiver', which was met with a standing ovation from the entire cinema. The gig was unlike any I’d been to before. It was personal, humble, and at times demonstrated Lucy at her most vulnerable. This added to the sincerity of her work, and by sharing her journey with her fans, it makes her music relatable in a way that some artists struggle to achieve.
Review by Charlotte McHale