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On November 23 Lucy Rose held her debut concert in Thailand at Live RCA, Bangkok as part of her tour around Asia.
The night kicked off an hour late at 8.30pm as local openers Youth Brush set the tone of the atmosphere with their feel-good vibe. It was refreshing. On any other night Live RCA would be a rave club. But tonight, instead of a jumping and shuffling mob, close to 900 people who filled the two levels of the venue were nodding their heads in-sync with the beat of the drum and guitar.
The sound quality was perfect. It was clear, not deafening but loud enough to make you mistake the bass for your own heartbeat.
©Medium Rare Live
At a gig with several supporting acts like this one, it’s inevitable for the crowd to get uninterested after a while. As if to solve the common problem, Phum Vhipurit, the only opener crooning in English, invited one of the audience to sing with him. And it proved effective – it caught everyone’s attention and turn their heads to stage again.
After Vhipurit, they took half an hour to set up the stage for Lucy Rose. While waiting, M83 was played in the background, which was good enough for me.
Suddenly, cheers roared from the crowd – Lucy Rose was finally getting on the stage!
By this point I realised the setup was amazing. The dim lights were focused just on Rose and her golden blond hair. She didn’t have back-up singers or accompanying band. It was just her and her guitar.
©Medium Rare Live
Once she sang the first line of “Into the Wild”, I was stunned. It was my first time watching the her live and she sounded angelic. The voice was comforting but powerful, powerful enough to give you goosebumps.
After the awe, there was the applause. Rose thanked everyone who came to the gig. Apparently, she didn’t expect such a big turnout.
But what we didn’t expect from her was the moment before she sang “My Life”, when the singer asked the production team to turn off the noisy AC that would ruin the mellow effect of her song. She told us to just shout to turn it back on if it gets too hot. Everyone agreed and the acoustic session continued.
©Medium Rare Live
During “Middle of the Bed”, Rose was surprised that most of the crowd knew it and sang along. You could see the excitement in her eyes. Like a treat, she asked us what song we wanted her to play next. “Shiver” and “Scar” were the loudest answers. But she saved those for last.
After a couple more songs, someone requested for the AC to be back on. It got a little warm, though tolerable.
The audience swayed their frame side by side as they were serenaded by Lucy Rose. It was clear they were captivated by her voice and music. Every song was met with claps and cheers, every next one as appreciated as the last.
©Medium Rare Live
At one point Rose noted she loved how “magnificently quiet and attentive” the audience were. Just during her performance, of course; no sooner had she finished her remark than someone screamed, “I love you, Lucy Rose!”
To which she replied, “Thanks! Khob khun krub! Or… is it khob khun kha?”
“Kha!” answered the crowd. Club-wide giggles ensued.
©Medium Rare Live
Into the final part of the show the singer showed her deep appreciation for the fans in Bangkok, whom she’d thought she had “like, 20 people.” She promised to come back with a full band and serve us some great live music again.
Before she sang “Shiver”, she asked the crew to turn off the AC again. I don’t know if it’s just me or this was also a low-key pun.
The final song was “Red Face”. The audiences who know the song sang along and everyone clapped their hands together on the same tempo. It was amazing, this collective experience. Rose went all out with her heavy strumming and up-beat plucking. The show concluded with the crowd happy cheering and chanting her name.
©Medium Rare Live
For many who’ve been following her, there’s no doubt Lucy Rose and her music have held a special place in their heart; her prevailing voice pierces through while at the same time caressing their soul. But that night, those who hadn’t been as ardent felt it just the same: even just for a few hours’ time, this Warwickshire songstress captured and kept us afloat in the delicate, expressive pool of her music.
We’d like to keep being “attentive”, if she wouldn’t mind.
