Venue: The Bee, Publika, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Date: 20th September 2017
Promoter: Freeform Untitled
Review by: Shai
Wednesday represents the weekly version of a midlife crisis, a time when one might question their purpose and conjure courage to help take them through the rest of the week unscathed. This particular midweek, however, felt different, as smiles and laughter fill the air of The Bee in Publika, as anticipation grows for the sight of something special.
The culprit in question is Lucy Rose, widely recognised as one of the UK’s most nonchalant, yet diligent, singer-songwriter of the last decade. Famed for baring her sensitive soul equally powerful at a packed festival as at a speakeasy bar, it is hard to believe that she was close to call it quits, had it not been for a handful of die-hard fans. Relying in not much more than her guitar, haversack and her newly acquired husband, she decided to document the journey that effectively restored her faith in music, culminating in Something’s Changing, her latest record written on the road, alongside an accompanying documentary that serves as an ‘appetiser screener’ before her live performance.
The premise of the documentary is straightforwardly sincere: “love of music could indeed bring people together sans money and reputation”. The two months spent across Latin America rekindled her flair for writing and reliving precious moments on stage, day in and out, evident through how the audience remained largely silenced by the sheer shivers that ran through their spine.
“Love Song” serenaded the shrilled-out crowd, so much so that she had to check if they were “feeling lethargic”, which caused everyone to sing along a little louder, if only to accompany this affable blond nightingale. Nothing remained lukewarm from that point on, as she introduced new tracks such as “Moirai”, dedicated to the Greek goddess of destiny, alongside well-loved classics “Nebraska” and “Like an Arrow” to keep the set as fresh as a fish out of water.
The adorable Ben Daniel on bass and guitar, whom Lucy continuously tease on, and Andrew Stuart-Buttle helming the keyboards, guitar and violin virtuously, fortified the rejuvenation of these emotional masterpieces. The trio seamlessly slide from one track to the next, allowing the audience to wail away their sorrows and feed off the progressive energy.
Every soothing song and story serve as a showcase of how music invokes the best out of people, and the positivity could not be purer elsewhere. Overall, tonight’s show was an outpouring of emotions from this petite performer, a treat to the senses, where those in attendance got to hear, see, and most importantly, feel that “Something’s Changing”, indeed.