CONCERT REVIEW: Maggie Rogers at The Basement
Maggie Rogers told the sold-out crowd at The Basement last night that all she ever wanted to do was to be able to perform music for people. Well, it doesn’t look like her dream is going to end anytime soon.
Prior to this show at The Basement, the sixth stop on her Winter Tour, Maggie Rogers had only officially released three songs. She shot to fame last summer after recording artist and producer Pharrell heard her song “Alaska” during a Masterclass he was critiquing at NYU. After Pharrell’s enthusiastic reaction helped the song go viral, Rogers earned a recording contract and is set to release an EP this spring. Although her set was relatively short at about 40 minutes, it was no less than impressive. Rogers played her three previously released tracks, the aforementioned “Alaska,” along with “Dog Years” and “On + Off.” The remainder of her set was filled out with as yet unreleased songs which will hopefully appear on her upcoming EP.
Throughout her set, Rogers regularly interacted with the crowd, seeming genuinely enthused and touched at how many people were actively singing along to her songs. Refreshingly, as the show was winding down, Rogers told the audience that she didn't believe that new artists should play encores, and then she launched into her final song of the evening, her hit, “Alaska.” Barely had the final lyrics, “You and I, there's air in between,” escaped her lips when nearly half of the audience formed a line stretching from the pit all the way back to the merch table to wait for a chance to meet Rogers.
In high school, Maggie wrote to folk albums, and she entered NYU as the self-styled “banjo girl”. However, her new music is definitely Indie alternative rock with electronic influences, but, underneath, in her lyrics and delivery, her folk roots are still evident. All of these influences have resulted in the new artist she has become, which did not disappoint the sold-out crowd at The Basement.
Maggie's backing band consisting of a drummer, bass guitarist, and keyboardist meshed perfectly with her, resulting in a polished performance that belied her relative inexperience at this stage in her career. It's safe to say that big things are on the horizon for Maggie Rogers. I highly recommend checking out her available songs, and staying tuned for her upcoming EP and Future live performances.
For more information, check out maggierogers.com
