Photo Credit: Domenico Di Mondo. Thanks!
Hey Rosetta played the first of two, back-to-back sold out nights at Lee's Palace in support of their new release Seeds. Really they are a band to be seen live so after a week with the album it was about time to see what they could do with it. As it turns out they can do a heckuva lot!
They emerged through the darkness to album interlude Downstairs playing, which serves as a welcome to the song Welcome. How fitting. (Wait 'til you read what song they played last... it's as if they plan their music around the live show. Oh right, they probably do.) Well, on Welcome the septet were spot on and there's not much more to say than that the musicianship from this band is stellar. Highly regarded amongst them are the two lovely female violinists who looked almost heavenly as they were backlit during their solo in Yer Spring. An interesting change-up they went to an oldie in Another Pilot, tenderly plucking the first half before reverting to the crashing version Plan Your Escape fans know. Following There's an Arc was another new track that we were here to see, Yer Fall, with its fat bass line midway through, upon which they layer instrumentation and build to an epic crescendo. However it was the next song that totally hit the mark, with no fancy changes or solos, Young Glass was simply outstanding (and I do mean outstanding in its simplicity.)
The latter half of the set focused less on Seeds, and instead included renditions of I've Been Asleep for a Long, Long Time (amusingly going quiet for the note of the word "quiet"), We Made a Pact, and Swing the Cellar Door. Tim was absolutely entertaining during the latter as he roamed the stage in a very emotive fashion while cupping the mic with both hands, and the band playing an extended outro.
They did however include the title/opening track, Seeds, which is one of the songs from the new album that they've been playing the longest. And it only seems to get better with age - that mandolin intro, and the full-band-except-Tim-and-bass percussion, (this time including the clapping of two pieces of wood) - all before the dramatic, lights-out pause.... and then absolutely hammering home the closing!
How could you possible top that? By going to an old favourite? A sing-along? A jamming extended finale that Hey Rosetta is known for? A Red Heart!
The band left the stage absolutely beaming at the outpouring of love from the capacity crowd. We knew they'd be back but cheered as if it was only a remote possibility anyway.
A rendition of the Red Songs EP/Seeds acoustic closer, Bandages calmed us with its beauty and optimism (and xylophone). However it was short lived as we were only riled up again as Tim introduced the female lead from opening band, Gramercy Riffs, and she joined them onstage for a first-half-true-to-form, second-half-in-true-Hey-Rosetta-fashion cover of Cyndi Lauper's Time After Time. Pure fun!
That closing track I mentioned earlier, of course, was New Goodbye. Appropriate, for it was a send-off from a show that featured plenty of new material and really succeeding in bringing the slow-burning sophomore album to life. After taking it in live I feel that I can now more fully appreciate the album and relish the thought of listening to it through fresh ears, with vivid memories to accompany it. Yes, their concerts are that good!
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