Not long after “On How Life Is” was released I saw Macy Gray in Upstate New York and was blown away – Friday night at The Sinclair presented a second opportunity to see her and she undeniably did not disappoint on this 14th anniversary tour of her debut album. Gray hit the stage (after stellar opener Shea Rose) to a nearly sold-out room and most certainly brought her A-game – along with her bling. No, really – I mean bling – glitter eyeshadow; sequined dress; diamond mic stand; gigantic lustrous rings, necklace, earrings, and bracelets; and a massive, flowing black feather boa – Gray was a disco ball of musical magnificence. Even the band was designed to shine, with each of them wearing a tie lit up with white lights (think: white-lit Christmas tree meets necktie).
Right out of the gate she hit us with “Why Didn’t You Call Me” and covered a total of ten out of eleven tracks off of “On How Life Is” (including my personal favorite, the catchy “I’ve Committed Murder”) – she even threw in a couple of numbers from her other albums to fill out a perfect, robust set. Approximately a third of the way through the night, Gray disappeared for a few moments only to return in a bold red, white, and black dress (sadly, sans boa) to wrap up with her hit, “I Try,” a cover of Radiohead’s “Creep,” and finish with “The Letter.” Gray was just as dynamic as when I saw her fourteen years ago – commanding the stage from one side to the next, while chatting up the crowd (or “sexy people,” as was Macy’s choice of words), the whole time not missing a note. By the end of her set, the stage was scattered with feathers from the aforementioned boa, worked off in a night of nostalgia made to feel as fresh as the day it was made.

Friday night at The Sinclair, Boston-native Berklee-grad Shea Rose took the stage in front of a room with people loosely scattered about.  Her amalgam of funk, hip-hop, jazz, and rock (to name a few) and accompaniment of her three-person band, Rose was the perfect choice to open for Macy Gray.  She performed a handful of singles from her latest album, mixtape “Little Warrior,” with the best being her live rendition of “I’m the Sh*t” (which, she clarified, isnot about her). After leading the crowd in chants for Macy, she was on fire going into her last song – and by that time the front of the stage had gotten more crowded as ears perked up and people yearned to get closer to take in the welcome surprise that was Shea Rose.
To be honest, I had not heard of Rose before Friday, but after just a few songs I was sold; and to add a bit more sauce to this dish, Rose has taken home honors such as Boston Music Awards in 2012 and 2011 for Pop/R&B Artist of the Year and R&B/Soul/Urban Contemporary Artist of the year, respectively, along with praise from Queen Latifah calling her “America’s next female rapper.”  I urge you to seek out recordings via her site, YouTube, or elsewhere – and brace yourself for the spectacular coolness that is Shea Rose.