Photos and review by NOTES FROM VIVACE
– LOS ANGELES – The second stop of Isabel LaRosa’s “Heaven Doesn’t Wait” tour was a sold out event at the El Rey Theatre in Los Angeles. This was no late arriving crowd, either. As the doors opened, the line to get in stretched down the block and around the corner. It was a testament to her growing popularity.
She mentioned that her last show in Los Angeles was as an opening act and now she was headlining a sold-out show. She thanked the audience with, “Being here and having you guys show up and actually giving a shit, you guys are the f*cking best. I love you so much. I truly feel that I can die happy. You’ve given me everything I’ve f*cking wanted.”
LaRosa’s pop tunes explore the ever-complicated landscape of romance with both a traditional and modern spin. The song “Pretty Boy” had the crowd singing the chorus “Baby, be my pretty boy (Pretty boy, pretty boy).” The song also includes the lyrics, “I want your name forever. Behind mine.” The song “older” got screams from the young female part of the crowd that takes a dig at teenage boys and their lack of maturity and empathy. Then there was the song “i’m yours” with the lyrics, “I know that you love me. Darling, you don’t have to say it. You know you can trust me. It’s okay, it’s complicated.”
Those romantic explorations were integrated with an energetic performance throughout most of the show with her skillfully using the full stage to her advantage. The word “most” is needed as she did take a well earned breather via a couple acoustic songs where she took a seat on a stool. Her microphone picked up the heavy breaths of a person who needed a few moments. Those two songs were “Piece of My Life” and “See You Again.” She introduced the two songs by saying, “For these next couple of songs, I wrote them about somebody and he may or may not be in this room.”
LaRosa seemed to have the most fun with the unreleased song “Muse.” Throughout the set, her brother Thomas LaRosa backed her on the guitar. For “Muse,” she picked up a red Epiphone guitar. Her brother took his guitar into the Rock N Roll zone and the two played off each other like they were playing on the Sunset Strip versus the Miracle Mile neighborhood. The two of them have a real special bond as it was mentioned earlier in the show that the two have worked together on music since the ages of seven and 11. After the encore “favorite,” she turned to her brother and said, “I love you.” The two Annapolis, Md.-raised siblings hugged it out as the curtains dropped.
As a note, after “Muse,” a person in the audience had health issues. Maybe a temporary fainting spell. Though the El Rey Theatre was air conditioned, Los Angeles itself was facing a triple-digit heat wave. LaRosa immediately noticed that something was happening in the audience and stopped the set. Security came to the rescue of the individual. It looked like maybe the person just needed some water as the set was able to continue after a brief break. LaRosa told the fans to just indicate if anyone needed water and she’d get security to hand out water bottles.
Opening up the night was Los Angeles based Tender Misfit. That crowd that had shown up early provided Tender Misfit with a packed venue to showcase her pop punk tunes. Perhaps unknown to Tender Misfit, there was a thin crack in the El Rey Theatre curtains just before the set was to begin. Those at the front could see that she had her back turned to the stage with her right arm raised high and left arm on her hip as she waited for the curtains to rise. That moment created a buzz as people could be heard exclaiming, “Look, she’s just ready to go!”
She did not disappoint as the song “Everytime We Kiss” had the crowd dancing. One knew she had won over the crowd when she mentioned that she had just released a new song called “Stupid Girl.” The crowd seemed to understand just based on that title how emotional the song would be. If it wasn’t for the music itself, one could have heard a pin drop.
Thomas LaRosa had double duties on this night. Not only did he back up his sister on guitar, but he also was one of the opening acts. It was evident that many in the crowd were there for both siblings. From that first song called “Dangerous” to the last song “Sinners,” fans were singing the lyrics. How good were the fans at singing? Maybe more than a touch off tune, but it was done with great enthusiasm. As for that song “Sinners,” it is an Ari Abdul cover that he produced and has featured vocals. With a leather jacket, he had those rock vibes and played that same red Epiphone guitar that his sister would later pick up.
Isabel LaRosa setlist: eyes don’t lie, Pretty Boy, more than friends, HEARTBEAT, without you, HELP, Home, Therapy, Good Girl, Baby Doll (Ari Abdul cover), Piece of My Life, See You Again, older, Poker Face (Lady Gaga cover), Muse, HAUNTED, HEAVEN, i’m yours. Encore: favorite.
Thomas LaRosa setlist: Dangerous, Nothing’s Gonna Hurt You Now, I Want To Be Yours, Good Girl, Like a Dream, Sinners (Ari Abdul cover that features LaRosa on vocals).
Tender Misfit setlist: Everytime We Kiss, Unforgiven, Dirt, Honey Don’t Leave Me, Stupid Girl, Just Kids, Ruined, All Eyes on Me, Do You Hate Me?
