Live Review: Maggie Rogers

Maggie Rogers and band walked onto the stage and immediately demanded we get to our feet, launching into Give A Little to start the show in style. Rogers followed it up with Burning, blowing us away with the depth and breadth of her arrangements and the sheer strength of her voice, which never wavered despite the fact she barely spent a second standing still. Wearing white and draped with a hot pink scarf, Rogers was enigmatic as she pranced across the stage, pouring her heart and soul into On + Off. She finally took a moment of stillness to express her excitement at playing the Opera House and gratitude for her band, introducing them to us.

Rogers then premiered a new, more solemn track, before the familiar sounds of The Knife were embraced with open arms, only to be cut short by Rogers as she reprimanded those who had sat down, stating she had created this show for us to dance and to let go of all the shit. On the second take, we obeyed. Light On was a spectacular, joyous moment of the set. Rogers said the song was written in a time where she was experiencing great change, announcing it had been three years since she finished college – we celebrated with her. Rogers took a rare moment of stillness to perform Past Life. You could hear a pin drop as her perfect vocals resonated in the hall. She then let us take the lead during Alaska, holding the microphone out for us to sing, and regaining control during Back In My Body. Rogers performed a simply astounding rendition of Fallingwater as the set closer, which was met with a standing ovation and stomps for an encore that went on for what felt like a lifetime. 

She returned to the stage alone to encore. Finally settling behind her microphone, Rogers sung an a cappella version of Colour Song. Her voice was mesmerising and overwhelming all at once – a perfect culmination to the show. Another standing ovation was well deserved. Maggie Rogers was simply phenomenal.