Whitney Rose Brightens Up A Dreary Monday

On Monday, April 15, Whitney Rose appeared at the Seventh Street Entry. It was Tax Day and I waited until the last minute to do taxes and was pleasantly surprised with a huge tax bill. The only thing better than spending hours on taxes is finding out I need to pay in. Arriving at the Entry in a bit of a sour mood and no money, I was hoping the acts would bring a little light into my depressing situation.

Opening for Whitney Rose was Maria and the Coins. I have heard of them, but not actually seen them live. The band is a five-piece indie-pop ensemble fronted by lead singer Maria Coyne. Coyne has great range and was so pleasant between songs it was hard not to brighten up a little. The crowd was still filing in as the band started. Maria and the Coins was a great opener for Whitney Rose and fun to listen to.

Next up was Whitney Rose and her 3 band members. I have been watching her you tube videos for a while and was looking forward to see her live. She definitely didn’t disappoint. The first thing I noticed was her hair was significantly shorter than her you tube videos. She walked on stage in a white t shirt that said “He Thinks I Still Care” and a white cowgirl hat. A few of her songs were about failed relationships, but luckily none had any tax references. She commented on how warm it was and she was expecting it to be much cooler. If she had come a week earlier, she could have seen both in a matter of a few days.

One of the highlights of the evening for me was her rendition of Leslie Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me”. She sang a number of Country fused numbers and her range and presentation was impressive. Several times she told the crowd to let their hair down and get loud, but apparently, I wasn’t the only one suffering tax shock. Later and maybe after a few drinks, the crowd got a bit rowdier and noisier. My parents were big Country Music fans, so the night was a bit nostalgic. Whitney Rose has such a silky voice and so dynamic, it was a memorable show. It even made me forget about my financial situation for a few hours.