Rosalie Cunningham - Crossroads Festival 2024 - Part 1
Rosalie Cunningham - Crossroads Festival 2024 - Part 2
Rosalie Cunningham opens the third evening of the WDR Rochpalast's 2024 Crossroads Festival at Bonn's Harmonie on Friday with a performance that immediately demonstrates why she is considered one of the most exciting musicians on the current prog rock scene. With a powerful mix of retro aesthetics, psychedelic sounds, and artful songwriting, Cunningham takes the audience on a musical journey that is both captivating and diverse—and features an impressively strong band.
With her aubergine-colored jumpsuit, flared trousers, and fringes on the arms, she would have been the party queen at any party in the 60s and 70s – even though she later called for: “Dethrone the party queen of yesteryear.” The evening begins with "Start With The Corners," an instrumental that sets the tone for the psychedelic prog rock world of the '70s. Initially quiet and introspective, the song builds to an overwhelming crescendo. The songs on her setlist, including "Ride On My Bike" and the electrifying "Dethroning Of The Party Queen," testify to an artist stylistically deeply rooted in the '60s and '70s without ever seeming antiquated.
The first songs, with their style somewhat stuck in British song tradition, fail to fully win over the audience. Anyone unfamiliar with the 34-year-old artist from Southend-on-Sea in East Anglia will indeed be somewhat lost in this blend of ballads, classic, and progressive rock, which incorporates nuances of 1960s British songwriting.
And then comes "Donovan Ellington," a multi-part piece that perfectly reflects Cunningham's penchant for intricate compositions and narrative song structures. Here, she effortlessly combines orchestral elements with heavy guitar riffs, jazzy rhythms, and an underlying folk marbling, making the song seem like a mini-opus, vaguely reminiscent of Jethro Tull at times, and vocally also of Chrissie Hynde. The second part, "Donny Pt. Two," takes up the themes of the first but changes the tone, leading the audience through a dark, almost threatening soundscape featuring hypnotic bass lines and reverbed guitar chords. By "Return Of The Ellington," the ice between the band and the audience is finally broken. The song comes across as rockier and overall more straightforward. There is tremendous applause.
The crowd favorite, however, was "Duet," a diverse, nearly ten-minute number full of musical references, including to the Beatles, Blondie, and Jefferson Starship. In the instrumental section, all the band members demonstrate what great musicians they are. This dynamic, with its sparing, well-measured use of bass, drums, and guitars, is exactly what many bands struggle with—but not Rosalie Cunningham, who, at 34, can already draw on an incredible wealth of experience.
Her singing is as diverse as her compositions: sometimes sweet and seductive, then wild and untamed. Her voice is reminiscent of the charming excess of Grace Slick, Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, and Sandy Denny. When asked about her musical role models after the concert, she simply laughed and replied, "Oh, it would take hours to list them all."
In fact, Rosalie Cunningham's style strongly reminds me of Stackridge 's blend of folk, pop, and progressive . At some point, I also think of David Bowie, whose chameleon-like ability to blend genres and constantly redefine them. Perhaps it's this ease with which she switches between styles, sometimes glam rock, sometimes prog, sometimes psychedelic.
Cunningham has a strong charisma and masters the art of sounding both seductive and mystical, while at times being explosive and unashamedly raw. The psychedelic aesthetic of the 1960s, which so strongly influenced her possibly great role model Slick, can also be found in Cunningham's music, be it in the dreamy melodies or the spiritual, often surreal lyrics. These Donovan Ellington songs, in any case, sometimes leave you perplexed when listening. She laughs when I tell her this after the concert. You have to see the character as a metaphor, she says. Her lyrics are often cryptic, yet have a literary quality. This was particularly evident in "Riddles And Games" and "Tristitia Amnesia," in which she dealt with philosophical themes such as identity, transience, and the distorted perception of reality. Her words have a fairytale quality that draws listeners into a world that is as surreal as it is profound.
I have the impression that Syd Barrett, the eccentric founder of Pink Floyd, could also be an influence that shouldn't be underestimated. Cunningham's music, especially in songs like "Rabbit Foot" and "Riddles and Games," carries the fascination with the absurd and the mysterious that pervaded Barrett's work. She has adopted Barrett's mix of psychedelia and surreal lyricism and made it one of her trademarks, challenging the listener with complex and often cryptic lyrics. "Riddles and Games" begins musically with a touch of Slade and remains almost entirely in the realm of classic rock.
Musically and technically, there are clear parallels to progressive greats like King Crimson and Jethro Tull. The complex song structures and distinctive instrumentation that characterize Cunningham's work are reminiscent of the experimental nature of these bands. Like Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Cunningham utilizes various styles and instruments to give her songs a deeper dimension. The experimental spirit of King Crimson, evident in unconventional song structures and avant-garde elements, also flows into her work, especially in multi-part works like "Donovan Ellington."
Rosalie Cunningham masterfully captures the essence of her musical role models and transforms them in a way that is entirely unique. Her art pays homage to the pioneers of the rock and progressive music scene, yet she never remains stuck in nostalgia. Instead, she brings the legacy of her influences into the present by blending them with her own personal, distinctive style. This makes her an exceptional musician who knows how to combine tradition and innovation in a harmonious symbiosis.
Musically, Cunningham walks a fine line between rock, psychedelic, and progressive rock. Her songs flirt with classical influences, yet are imbued with a modern, idiosyncratic twist. "Chocolate Money," which closed the evening, summed this up perfectly: a playful piece that, on the one hand, is influenced by early 1970s glam rock, yet, at the same time, feels modern and biting thanks to its sophisticated arrangements and ironic lyrics. A truly powerful performance. From: https://jazzandrock.com/starker-auftritt-von-rosalie-cunningham-mit-band-beim-crossroads-festival-in-der-harmonie-bonn/
With her aubergine-colored jumpsuit, flared trousers, and fringes on the arms, she would have been the party queen at any party in the 60s and 70s – even though she later called for: “Dethrone the party queen of yesteryear.” The evening begins with "Start With The Corners," an instrumental that sets the tone for the psychedelic prog rock world of the '70s. Initially quiet and introspective, the song builds to an overwhelming crescendo. The songs on her setlist, including "Ride On My Bike" and the electrifying "Dethroning Of The Party Queen," testify to an artist stylistically deeply rooted in the '60s and '70s without ever seeming antiquated.
The first songs, with their style somewhat stuck in British song tradition, fail to fully win over the audience. Anyone unfamiliar with the 34-year-old artist from Southend-on-Sea in East Anglia will indeed be somewhat lost in this blend of ballads, classic, and progressive rock, which incorporates nuances of 1960s British songwriting.
And then comes "Donovan Ellington," a multi-part piece that perfectly reflects Cunningham's penchant for intricate compositions and narrative song structures. Here, she effortlessly combines orchestral elements with heavy guitar riffs, jazzy rhythms, and an underlying folk marbling, making the song seem like a mini-opus, vaguely reminiscent of Jethro Tull at times, and vocally also of Chrissie Hynde. The second part, "Donny Pt. Two," takes up the themes of the first but changes the tone, leading the audience through a dark, almost threatening soundscape featuring hypnotic bass lines and reverbed guitar chords. By "Return Of The Ellington," the ice between the band and the audience is finally broken. The song comes across as rockier and overall more straightforward. There is tremendous applause.
The crowd favorite, however, was "Duet," a diverse, nearly ten-minute number full of musical references, including to the Beatles, Blondie, and Jefferson Starship. In the instrumental section, all the band members demonstrate what great musicians they are. This dynamic, with its sparing, well-measured use of bass, drums, and guitars, is exactly what many bands struggle with—but not Rosalie Cunningham, who, at 34, can already draw on an incredible wealth of experience.
Her singing is as diverse as her compositions: sometimes sweet and seductive, then wild and untamed. Her voice is reminiscent of the charming excess of Grace Slick, Siouxsie Sioux, Kate Bush, and Sandy Denny. When asked about her musical role models after the concert, she simply laughed and replied, "Oh, it would take hours to list them all."
In fact, Rosalie Cunningham's style strongly reminds me of Stackridge 's blend of folk, pop, and progressive . At some point, I also think of David Bowie, whose chameleon-like ability to blend genres and constantly redefine them. Perhaps it's this ease with which she switches between styles, sometimes glam rock, sometimes prog, sometimes psychedelic.
Cunningham has a strong charisma and masters the art of sounding both seductive and mystical, while at times being explosive and unashamedly raw. The psychedelic aesthetic of the 1960s, which so strongly influenced her possibly great role model Slick, can also be found in Cunningham's music, be it in the dreamy melodies or the spiritual, often surreal lyrics. These Donovan Ellington songs, in any case, sometimes leave you perplexed when listening. She laughs when I tell her this after the concert. You have to see the character as a metaphor, she says. Her lyrics are often cryptic, yet have a literary quality. This was particularly evident in "Riddles And Games" and "Tristitia Amnesia," in which she dealt with philosophical themes such as identity, transience, and the distorted perception of reality. Her words have a fairytale quality that draws listeners into a world that is as surreal as it is profound.
I have the impression that Syd Barrett, the eccentric founder of Pink Floyd, could also be an influence that shouldn't be underestimated. Cunningham's music, especially in songs like "Rabbit Foot" and "Riddles and Games," carries the fascination with the absurd and the mysterious that pervaded Barrett's work. She has adopted Barrett's mix of psychedelia and surreal lyricism and made it one of her trademarks, challenging the listener with complex and often cryptic lyrics. "Riddles and Games" begins musically with a touch of Slade and remains almost entirely in the realm of classic rock.
Musically and technically, there are clear parallels to progressive greats like King Crimson and Jethro Tull. The complex song structures and distinctive instrumentation that characterize Cunningham's work are reminiscent of the experimental nature of these bands. Like Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull, Cunningham utilizes various styles and instruments to give her songs a deeper dimension. The experimental spirit of King Crimson, evident in unconventional song structures and avant-garde elements, also flows into her work, especially in multi-part works like "Donovan Ellington."
Rosalie Cunningham masterfully captures the essence of her musical role models and transforms them in a way that is entirely unique. Her art pays homage to the pioneers of the rock and progressive music scene, yet she never remains stuck in nostalgia. Instead, she brings the legacy of her influences into the present by blending them with her own personal, distinctive style. This makes her an exceptional musician who knows how to combine tradition and innovation in a harmonious symbiosis.
Musically, Cunningham walks a fine line between rock, psychedelic, and progressive rock. Her songs flirt with classical influences, yet are imbued with a modern, idiosyncratic twist. "Chocolate Money," which closed the evening, summed this up perfectly: a playful piece that, on the one hand, is influenced by early 1970s glam rock, yet, at the same time, feels modern and biting thanks to its sophisticated arrangements and ironic lyrics. A truly powerful performance. From: https://jazzandrock.com/starker-auftritt-von-rosalie-cunningham-mit-band-beim-crossroads-festival-in-der-harmonie-bonn/
