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Maggie Rose continues to tour her latest album, No One Gets Out Alive, and her show in Atlanta was very much on my mind after being introduced to her music at Knoxville’s Southern Skies festival in early May. A festival appearance can be a great thing, and it was, but where would she take the show with fans who came specifically to see her?
For one, you get all twelve songs from her new album, plus a helping from her 2021 release, Have a Seat. The new songs were written during the pandemic as a means of getting through the societal ailment of being alone for a time, but the major part of it was about finding her way making songs and music she loves as opposed to her early career efforts being guided by Nashville formulas or expectations. One result is she has a less “country-affected” voice, though many of her songs could have easily been produced in that genre.
Instead, her voice often ventures between pop and soul, which are well suited to intimate nature of her lyrics but also the power that some require in the delivery. On album or live, what you hear is what you get usually without any voice manipulation, pitch perfect, nuanced, emoting, and, again, powerful. Live, though, it somehow means more.
You expect a great stage presence from most artists, and Maggie Rose is a practiced veteran of over 100 performances at the Grand Old Opry. Still, conversationally with her audience and when singing, you feel that it not only means something to her, but that she’s singing it just for you. Ask the ten-year-old (or so) girl at the front of the stage. Maggie took notice entering the stage, happily surprised, and made the evening one that the girl will never forget.
The band was great again, especially Kyle Lewis’ tasteful accents and occasional rip-roaring solos when Maggie turns him loose. Highlights included “Saint,” a personal favorite, a solo acoustic “Too Young,” a supporting vocal by opener Fancy Hagood on “Pull You Through,” and “No One Gets Out Alive,” which has a climatic finish that pretty well makes it the closer, either for the set or encore.
Maggie has pre-show VIP packages, but she and the band also engage the audience after the show. And there’s lots of quality merch. The tour continues nationally through September.
Setlist:
Encore:
