Caroline Rose Gives SUPERSTAR Performance at Philly's Underground Arts

Words & Photos by Rosi Lamela October 26, 2021

I am a very big fan of Caroline Rose. I absolutely loved the album Loner and had the opportunity to catch her perform at the Wonder Bar in Asbury Park a few years back. When she came out with Superstar which was released at the worst time ever (March 2020), I missed getting to see her perform. Her tour came to a halt like everything else last year and it was incredibly disappointing. It was hard to have to wait to see her perform her new album.

This year everyone is trying to reboot and Caroline’s tour was rescheduled. Her shows sold out quickly but I managed to get a ticket for her show at Underground Arts in Philly. We were also granted a photo pass which always makes my heart grow fonder. Getting to photograph her was a lot of fun as her live performances are entertaining, she likes to pose, and her sense of humor is easy to capture.

Joanna Sternberg opened the stage and warmed up the crowd on Friday with their intimate lyrics and warm humbleness. The crowd gave them tons of love as they exposed their diary-like songs to us. Despite Philly’s tough exterior and rowdy sports fans, they are always a good crowd at shows and know how to respect live music. The vibe was receptive and the venue was filled with good music fans. Shout out to Philly and Underground Arts. This music space is a place to put on your list to visit. I locked in my spot up front and waited with anticipation. Caroline Rose came on stage and told us a little bit about her experimentation with lighting. She had an interesting setup even though it would give most photographers anxiety. After she played her first note, I forgot all about it and was in for the show and all of it’s darkness. The performance was a back and forth between Loner and Superstar with banter in between. Caroline did share how last year was a rough one and about how her tour was canceled. It was a very endearing share and finding out that the tour was shorter than anticipated was a bummer. At one point she shut the lights off and borrowed a cell phone to sing “Getting to Me” from Loner. Despite her upbeat music and humorous lyrics, there is something dark to some of her songs. They are very easy to identify with. She joked about silly encores and instead of walking off the stage, she gave us “three more songs.” The show ended with the song “Cry!”

Most bands or artists I see I’m going to tell you need to check out. I’m going to tell you SERIOUSLY check out Caroline’s Rose’s last two albums which came after her revamp from country music. It’s more on the pop spectrum but take it from someone not very prone to pop music. She is absolutely amazing and Superstar deserves more attention.

Live Coverage on AsburyParkVibes.com