The True Meaning of Beauty
The Joiners has had a mixed night so far- Sine Star Project lapped up the approval of the assembled crowd effortlessly, whilst Underground Railroad struggled to raise the crowd above lukewarm. Now, with the main band preparing to play, the crowd dynamics change yet again as excitement and anticipation fill the air.
There is something magical and special about Rose Kemp. Quietly being hyped as the next P J Harvey or rocked-up Regina Spektor, there is momentum gathering about this young, highly talented performer. The set begins with her soft powerful voice booming over The Joiners. Backed with brooding basslines, it's clear this is a woman with a full working knowledge of the loud/quiet equation. Spinning from one to the other, it's a dizzying surprise to hear such a unique sound radiate from a band who appear so normal and down to earth.
The second track of the night sees Rose make extensive use of tape delay, providing gloriously complex loops, showing in one go how much variation there is in this woman's voice. The build up bursts into a kaleidoscope of different emotions and the crowd greets the track with an awed and eerie silence.
One of the major selling points of Rose Kemp is the diversity- this is an outfit perfectly suited to sit alongside your piano driven female songwriters, or beside your more upbeat rock artists. If you're after an artist who refuses, kicking and screaming, to be placed in any box labelled with a current genre, then Rose is your girl.
Third track, 'Buttons' has a grand, elegant feeling about it. Sturdily built, the track begins with pounding drumwork that sounds as though those stood on stage are commanding time. The song breaks into a heavy chorus and the crowd gleefully rejoice. 'Song of the Morning' is a much softer affair and provides one of the many highlights in this all-too-short set.
'Orange Juice' sports an ethereal wail and restrained guitars- all focus is at this point on Rose, but after 'Metal Bird' and its curvaceous sound, the real treat begins. The crowd demand an encore, and it is up to Rose and Rose alone to deliver it. As the crowd pull in tightly around the stage, she crouches, eyes closed and lets her voice fill The Joiners without a microphone. There is something so touching about this, so emotionally charged, as this talented 20 year old holds the interest and the hearts of those surrounding her effortlessly. As the last notes fade, the crowd reels as though released from a magnet and all leave the venue feeling as though they have witnessed something truly special.