Live Coverage: Rose Gray – Colour Factory, London

      There’s an undeniable energy about a crowded school-night club concert that makes it seem as if a rising pop star's success is preordained. Rose Gray's sold-out headlining performance at Colour Factory last night – a lively haven amid the otherwise deserted intersection of Hackney and Stratford – exemplified this. The event took place on the upper level, exuding a distinct basement atmosphere, packed with anticipation long before Gray took the stage, the crowd of fans vibrating with excitement as the floor seemed on the verge of giving way beneath them.

      Gray's set kicked off at a quarter past nine with her spoken word track, ‘Hackney Wick’, a fitting introduction for the East London native’s hometown show. She took the stage to a club remix of ‘Damn’, instantly setting a lively tone: the bass pounding, dance sunglasses on, and the wind machine adding to the ambiance. Gray smoothly transitioned into ‘Just Two’, sparking a moment of collective joy as the audience sang back every lyric.

      In the two months following the release of her dance-pop debut album, ‘Louder, Please’, Gray has meticulously refined her live performance, first supporting Confidence Man on the European leg of their tour before launching her own headlining tour in Manchester the night before. The attention to detail was evident from the start, as was her genuine happiness to be in the spotlight, fulfilling a dream years in the making.

      Gray performed nearly every track from her anthemic, club-focused album, with the crowd enthusiastically joining in on songs like ‘Wet and Wild’, ‘Free’, and ‘Switch’. Strands of glitter in her red hair shimmered as she danced, with the audience a sea of moving bodies. No one stood still throughout her entire set.

      “I think it’s really important to play older songs too. I made this song when I was a younger Rose,” Gray shared before reminiscing back to 2020 with a brief performance of her euphoric Balearic hit, ‘Save Your Tears’, followed by her 2022 ethereal track, ‘Promise Me’.

      While Gray’s vocal prowess sometimes got overshadowed by the intense backing tracks, songs like ‘Tectonic’ showcased her range, with sunset visuals behind her syncing perfectly with the emotional chorus. “You look so fucking beautiful,” she exclaimed to the audience, clearly savoring the moment during the downtempo, reflective track ‘Everything Changes (But I Won’t)’.

      Gray shifted gears by teasing a new song, an energetic club anthem with the catchy line “God is a DJ”, reminiscent of SOPHIE’s trance-techno style. But it was the album’s most experimental track, ‘Angel of Satisfaction’, that unexpectedly turned into the biggest singalong of the evening.

      Before wrapping up with ‘Party People’ – which had Gray getting everyone to jump so energetically that the floorboards felt like they might break – she presented another new, yet-to-be-titled song inspired by a girl named April she encountered during a night out, known for her insatiable love for partying. I predict a deluxe version of ‘Louder, Please’ is in the works.

      With a succinct 45-minute set offering pure escapism in the moment, Rose Gray is undeniably establishing herself at the forefront of the partygirl revival, bringing the essence of last year’s Brat Summer into the current one.