Hotel Café Los Angeles, CA
Contact: jonathan.sosis@gmail.com
Web: kellierose.com
Players: Kellie Rose, vocals, guitar
You can walk into the Hotel Café, either of the venue’s stages, on any given night and be assured of seeing some quality musicians. The people who book the artists there really do a stellar job, but what that does mean is that a musician has to be quite spectacular to stand out. And that’s tough when, in most cases, the general format is to simply stand or sit at a mic with a guitar. The songs carry all the weight. Fortunately, Kellie Rose has them by the bucketload.
Rose is a singer, songwriter, producer, and musician based out of Seattle. “Using her voice, a looping pedal and acoustic guitar, she intricately layers vocals, percussion, and strings producing a performance that might be mistaken for a pre-recorded show,” her bio reads. “With vocals characterized by soulful tones, powerful delivery, and an impressive range, create a captivating experience as Kellie Rose illuminates the room with warmth and genuine human connection.”
All of that was apparent when Rose took her seat on the Hotel Café’s second stage on a late August evening. Before she could get started, she had to record her loops, live and in person. No games, no tricks—Rose lets everyone in on some tricks of the trade, like an acoustic Penn and Teller.
But even then, even while getting prepared, she’s a charismatic and likeable presence. Rose jokes with the crowd, interacts with humility and charm, while simultaneously, somehow, amping up the anticipation.
When she does get going, the set was worth the wait. “Dive In” appears to be a very real and relatable song about relationships—taking the rough with the smooth and putting the work in.
Elsewhere, some of her tunes have a country twang and a drinking theme. She effortlessly switches from vulnerable to “hell hath no fury like a woman in her stride.” All the while, she has those live loops going, her guitar playing impeccable and her voice emotive.
It makes for a wonderful combination and a compelling set. Towards the end, she plays a delicious R&B medley that includes “No Scrubs” and “Waterfalls,” and those TLC classics provide the sort of singalong job that the show needed to end on an appropriate high note.
You have to be better than great to stand out at the Hotel Café, and Kellie Rose was.
The post Live Review of Kellie Rose first appeared on Music Connection Magazine.