_edited.jpg)
A small, secluded bar in a side street of the busy Camden atmosphere, with the unpredictable potential for a night of treasured memories and people from all walks of life. The New Roses created that very atmosphere in The Black Heart bar. A soulful, captivating, hard- rock band from Wiesbaden, Germany, consisting of 6 members. The band creates a modern day rock sound, blended with 80s twists.
On the 4th October 2024, the band released their new album Attracted to Danger, which is the focus of their current tour, their first night kicking off in The Black Heart, London. Their sound consists of heavier, hooking melodies and riffs, you can really tell that they take influence from the likes of Guns n Roses, AC/DC, and Metallica.
The support for the tour was the wonderful Leonie Jakobi who brought a 1970s classic rock style to start us off. She is typically accompanied by a band as reflected in her already released music, however this time we were treated to a stripped back performance. Leonie stood on the center of the misty stage, lights beaming down with just her, a bottle of water and a white stratocaster. Leonie not only brought a warm stage presence, but connected with her audience almost straight away by giving us a backstory of where shes from and how she got to where she is today. Her opening number was a one titled “Bedroom Eyes” and with just a tap on the distortion pedal, her voice and guitar bring the stage to life. Her versatility throughout her set is what made this performance so special, with rollercoasters of emotions and sing along classics such as a cover of Here I go again.
Leonie also brought some comedy to the set with the backstory for her song 'Car Crash with Fireworks' detailing that the inspiration for this arose from an Instagram Reel. This song was a great hit as it had a real hook that was bound to linger in many people’s minds for days. Between songs you could hear a pin drop, the anticipation as to what wonders Leonie would bring to the stage next. After playing some new music, she ended the set on a final sing along classic. The crowd roared when the first line of 'Any Way You Want It' began, it really brought a special moment to the end of Leonie's set, with everyone singing
along from start to finish. And just like that, with a smile, a word of thanks and a wave, Leonie left the stage and manned the merch table.
The level of anticipation rose, along with some fill music, slight rustles amongst the crowd as we await the main act. The lights stayed glistening, bouncing off of the magnificent yellow 'The New Roses' backdrop. With three more mics mounted and a setlist placed by the drum kit, the lights dimmed and darkness swallowed the room. The excitement felt electric as the five members braced the cramped stage, explosions of applause and hollers brought instant smiles to the musicians’ faces. Timmy took center, with lead guitarist Norman Bites, Bassist Hardy W-Heart to the left. Dizzy Prezley took the right, with a peripheral of drummer Urban Bez who was placed directly under a spotlight.
As this was the first night of the tour, the band started by playing thanks, and getting a feel for the energy in the room. This followed with the opener, 'When you Fall in Love' , a hair raising track that felt animatingly exciting the second that first strum of the electric is heard. Timmy’s voice personified the rock atmosphere, the rasp and passion across the stage connected us all. In touching moments further into the set, fans passed round glow-sticks for everyone to wave around, creating smiles near and far. In a dedication to Leonie
and her leopard print jumpsuit, the band played The Lion in You with meaty guitar riffs and a thrilling chorus. Following this number, power ballads such as 'Glory Road' and 'Thirsty', which brought The Black Heart to life for an incredible sing along.
As fate would have it, they band came back for an encore, starting with an emotional number from Timmy with 'Hold Me Up' on the acoustic, followed by an electrifying end with Down by The River. The experience and atmosphere that this band created for the first night of the Attracted to Danger tour was definitely not one to forget. The Black Heart was an incredibly fitting choice of venue, with ominous, mysterious lighting leading you to the bar with a staircase to the left which led you up to the stage, a perfect start to a gig with this rock group.
Words: Emily Perry
Comments