Caroline Rose’s sold-out solo show at The Blue Room was packed and full of energy. The Grammy-nominated artist attracted a large crowd to this small, intimate venue. While it was tight, I’m sure it is a night most of us will remember.
Rose is touring their latest release, “year of the slug,” unavailable on any major streaming platforms. Hearing that the album was entirely made on GarageBand from an iPhone, I was immediately intrigued. Naturally, I purchased the album for $10 on Bandcamp ahead of the show and have felt justified in my purchase.
The tour is special. Caroline has intentionally chosen independent music venues to play at to avoid hefty service fees often charged by big ticketing platforms. It is a gesture that benefits fans and supports the struggling indie venues being edged out by corporate giants. Caroline’s commitment says a lot.
The show began with “Love/Lover/Friend,” a whimsical and heartfelt opener setting the night’s tone. The nearly two-hour-long set included around 23 songs, featuring fan favorites like “More Of The Same” (19 million streams on Spotify). Impressively, I found out much of the performance was spontaneous, adding more to Rose’s authenticity.
Rose radiated a charmingly quirky energy on stage, showcasing their personality and building a unique connection with the audience. Their music sets them apart because it is raw, one-of-a-kind, and unmistakably theirs. They even aim to make music that AI cannot replicate, a bold and timely stance in today’s industry—watching Caroline Rose perform solo allowed for a profoundly personal atmosphere, almost like we were all friends hanging out. At one point, they even requested a cold one from the crowd.
Caroline played “everything in its right place” from “year of the slug”, a top-three pick for me on the album. It wrapped up the night perfectly, bringing a sense of closure that lingered even after the lights came up. I will admit I was a bit bummed they didn’t play “Jeannie Becomes a Mom,” their most-streamed track, but skipping breakout hits seems to be becoming the norm amongst artists I’ve seen recently.
What I admire most about Caroline Rose is their dedication to staying true to themself, supporting local venues, crafting unique music, and rejecting industry norms. I have seen no artists dedicate themselves to this extent. All in all, Caroline Rose is doing something different and doing it well.
–Sidney Roberts
SETLIST:
LOVE/LOVER/FRIEND
TO BE LONELY
WE DON’T TALK ANYMORE
CONVERSATION W/ SHIV
STOCKHOLM SYNDROME
STRANGE THINGS
NICE IN SLOW
MORE OF THE SAME
CRY
LOVE SONG FOR MYSELF
ANOTHER LIFE
GODDAMN TRAIN
YIP YIP YOW
SOUL NO. 5
GETTING TO ME
MONEY
BURN
PIPE DREAMS
DESPERATION BABY
ROUGH SITUATION
EVERYBODY’S MAKING OUT
BIKINI
EVERYTHING IN ITS RIGHT PLACE
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