From O. Rose to Oh, Rose

by Adam McKinney for OLY ARTS

Making the transition from singer-songwriter to a full band can be a challenge for some. For Olivia Rose, the decision to put down her acoustic guitar and form the full-band version of her solo Oh, Rose project was one made out of necessity.

“It really started, I guess, because I’m from Asheville, North Carolina, and I wanted to book a tour back home,” says Rose. “I figured I needed to have some recordings to back that up, before booking a two-month-long tour.”

Through meeting fellow musicians at a longstanding house venue in Olympia, Rose assembled a band and recorded a demo in record time. Filled out by Liam Hindahl on drums, Kevin Christopher on bass and Sarah Redden on synths (who learned to play purely to join the band), Oh, Rose transformed into what it is today.

Oh, Rose’s genesis as a solo acoustic project in no way makes itself apparent in the three albums it’s released since its quickie formation in 2014. This is full-blooded, sometimes very dark indie rock, possessed with emotion. On the driving anthem “Lottery,” Oh, Rose could pass for a band that would feature on a John Hughes movie soundtrack. It’s a fairly representative song, showcasing the band’s propensity for wall-of-sound compositions and impeccable melodies.

“It was an idea I had kicked around for a long time,” Rose says of getting the band together. “I decided to give it a shot and commit myself to music. I’m the kind of person that, when I make a commitment to something, I really see it through.”

This fall, Oh, Rose goes back into the studio for its fourth release. A possible November tour is also in the works. At the rate this band moves, Oh, Rose could go very far indeed.

What: Oh, Rose (with Ronny Tanna, John Value and Wing Dam)

Where: Obsidian,
414 Fourth Ave. E, Olympia

When: 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24

How much: $5

Learn more: 360-890-4425 | Obsidian

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