Music / Reviews
Review: Roses, The Louisiana – ‘Angry, defiant and empowering’
There is a special kind of magic in going to a gig knowing little to nothing about the music and finding an absolute gem.
Roses‘ latest show at the Louisiana was, for me, one of those moments.
A group consisting of BIMM graduates and students, Roses bring a wonderful blend of cathartic, angsty rock and vibrant indie tones. Female-fronted and fiery, I can really see this band going far.
is needed now More than ever
With only one song currently out on streaming services, they are the next band that I am proud I will claim to have ‘been a fan of since the beginning.’
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The night was opened by Izzie Auty-Dawe who, despite being very different sonically from the heavier rock sound of Roses, was phenomenal.
Playing solo with her guitar, the stripped-back sound let Auty-Dawe’s talented songwriting shine through. Full of lyrical twists and turns and packed with seamless runs, her set of original tracks was a delight from start to finish.
Laughing that all of her songs were quite depressing, Auty-Dawe cleverly covered a huge range of emotional material. From female friendships to break-ups and withdrawal, it was a lovely, raw perspective of life as a woman in your early twenties.
Auty-Dawe brough sensitive, heartfelt songwriting to the mix
Following Auty-Dawe was CARLTON, a Bath-based post-punk outfit. Combining elements of 2000s emo with more modern indie musicality, their set was grungy, punchy and fantastic.
Very reminiscent of the likes of Paramore and Wolf Alice, they were definitely a genre leap from Auty-Dawe’s set, but a brilliant addition to the evening.
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As Roses took to the stage, I heard the guitarist excitedly comment on how many people were there to see them play. Truthfully, I think the band could’ve filled a much larger venue – their energy was off the charts.
Playing a number of unreleased songs, the band had a captivating stage presence. Every member looked genuinely excited to be there, and you could feel that transferring to the crowd too.
With punky drumming that certainly would’ve given me armache for days, clever basslines and lead guitar lines that were effortless and polished, Roses have me hooked.
Lead singer Emily Kent was a marvel. Singing with such ferocity that she laughed to the crowd about how out of breath she was, her vocals soared to amazing heights.
Angsty, fiery, vocals with power – Roses are set to go far
Alongside their original material, Roses brought a couple of covers to their Louisiana set. Launching into a perfect rendition of Etta Marcus’ Theatre followed by a feisty, punk-infused version of Chappell Roan’s Good Luck, Babe!, the band displayed an acute understanding of their sound and audience. They more than did them justice, celebrating the originals whilst adding their own flair and style.
Roses’ debut single, Whiplash, has been on repeat for me since Saturday night. Angry, defiant and empowering, this song is a very strong professional start. In fact, it’s so catchy that audience members were requesting to hear the song again as an encore.
I am so glad that I was introduced to these guys, and I will be eagerly waiting for them to release more material. They are a testament to what makes Bristol’s music scene so uniquely wonderful and they are undoubtedly set for great things.
All images: Susie Long
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