The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureMusicLive music

Josh Rouse at Islington Assembly Hall

Josh Rouse at Islington Assembly Hall | Live review
23 May 2013
Natasha Fonseka
Avatar
Natasha Fonseka
23 May 2013

Josh Rouse returns to London after about a year, serenading fans with temperate acoustics and meaningful lyrics in a set that has the feel of a private performance at the Islington Assembly Hall.

While promoting his latest studio album, Happiness Waltz, the American folk-pop singer-songwriter from Nebraska (now based in Spain) engages the audience by opening with the classic Dressed Up Like Nebraska from his debut album of the same title.  Although the crowd appear subdued, with no one dancing and minimal swaying throughout the better half of the night, they’re receptive in their cheering as they silently appreciate the music.

As he plays more recent material like This Movie’s Way Too Long the tone picks up with greater energy from the band, as the bassist lightheartedly jives along, animatedly nodding his head to the beat.

With the exception of colourful overhead lighting, few effects are incorporated into the show but there is some sense of showmanship with the mild fog that fills the stage.  In the end it all proves unnecessary as Rouse creates an atmosphere that is intimate and personal as he closes his eyes and recites the lyrics to Saturday.  

He speaks volumes with his songs, narrating a story with the positive words of A Lot Like Magic.  Insightful and telling, he sings: “My children have grown and I’m still standing here. I still live each day like the very last one, I’ll rise with the furs and I’ll set with the sun.”

Twelve tracks in and the crowd starts to show their enthusiasm as they head bop and thump their feet to the tunes and Rouse drops to his knees to fervently play the last chords of It’s the Nighttime.  

Highlights of the set the also the heartbreaking Sad Eyes and the groovy Live Vibration – unfortunately no trace of fan favourites Directions and Late Night Conversation.

With the audience’s excitement at its peak, they demand an encore and the final number Winter in the Hamptons rhythmically contrasts the rest of the set.  The base drumming stands out and one member of the audience even starts to dance – a joyful conclusion to an honest and smooth set.

★★★★★

Natasha Fonseka
Photos: Filippo L’Astorina

For further information and future events visit Josh Rouse’s website here.

Watch the video for Julie (Come Out of the Rain) here:

Related Itemslive musicreview

More in Live music

Vienna New Year’s Day Concert at the Musikverein

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

Rufus, Martha and Lucy Wainwright Present: A Not So Silent Night “Virtually Together”

★★★★★
Francis Nash
Read More

Pete Tong and the Heritage Orchestra: Ibiza Classics – O Come All Ye Ravers at the O2 Arena Online

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More

Courtney Barnett live from the Royal Exhibition Building Melbourne

★★★★★
Georgie Cowan-Turner
Read More

Gorillaz: Song Machine Live

★★★★★
Sylvia Unerman
Read More

Andrea Bocelli at Teatro Regio di Parma Online

★★★★★
Dan Meier
Read More

Foy Vance: Hope in the Highlands

★★★★★
Georgie Cowan-Turner
Read More

Liam Gallagher: Down by the River Thames

★★★★★
Jonathan Marshall
Read More

Blossoms at Brixton Academy

★★★★★
Mae Trumata
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • The White Tiger
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Start the year right with these eco-friendly vegan and vegetarian food deliveries
    Food & Drinks
  • Hello Cosmos – Dream Harder
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • 23 Walks
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Live Lab at The Yard Theatre: An interview with associate director Cheryl Gallagher
    Theatre
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • We Ask These Questions of Everybody: An interview with Amble Skuse and Toria Banks
    Theatre
  • Identifying Features
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • We Still Fax at ANTS Theatre Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • WandaVision: Marvel’s charming sitcom proves an astounding success
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • The Queen’s Gambit: A chess story that’s not about the moves but the motives
    ★★★★★
    Cinema
  • Undercover at Morpheus Show Online
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

A Working Theory of Love by Scott Hutchins | Book review
The Hangover Part III | Movie review