In the sweltering cellar space of hipster haven Stereo, Caitlin Rose delivers a set of cool country bops and ballads.
The Nashville singer songwriter marks her return to Glasgow with a mixture of playful audience banter and tales from the dark side of her mind. According to Rose, Glasgow is the muppets’ Gonzo: chaotic but hella fun. And we get an inside tip on watching out for murderous star signs.
Rose’s easy going demeanour may make her appear to be a country sweetheart but she’s a tough nut too and she enjoys getting to indulge her audience with tales of scrapes, tête-à-tête’s and standing her ground.
It’s been over a decade since debut record Own Side Now and follow up The Stand In. But there’s been a sizeable gap in between those and her recent third, Cazimi. The intervening years / life experience appears to have imbued Rose with a stronger sense of self and belief in the music she wants to make. Where earlier gigs would feature a slightly more shy or giggly performer, tonight’s set highlights someone really enjoying it; confident in her craft, being with the audience and the touring experience.
Cazimi also sees Rose pushing her own boundaries outwith the confines of her Nashville country safespace. New songs like Black Obsidian, How Far Away and Nobody’s Sweetheart elevate her set to greater sonic heights. But they also provide open space for older hits like Own Side and set closer Shanghai Cigarettes to get the mostly middle-aged crowd at least swaying from side toside. To be fair it is so warm, most folk are probably just trying to stay hydrated.
As well as her evocative songwriting and natural charisma, Rose backs it up with a vocal which ranges from tender wonderment to holy-shit levels of power, demonstrated beautifully on her cover of Magnolia Electric Company’s Nashville Moon (a moving tribute to late artist Jason Molina) and her own standout track Pink Champagne, ably supported by a capable band including support act, Dominic Billett on drums following his own woozy, disorienting set. Lead guitarist Jerry Bernhardt provides both Billet and Rose with some dazzling licks, while Chris Hillman added layers of smooth Nashville soul via the pedal steel.
With another couple of UK dates down in London before she flies home, let’s hope we won’t wait as long to welcome Ms Caitlin Rose and co back to a bigger (and air conditioned) stage.