Blake Rose

Article by Sara Rosenthal

Australian singer-songwriter Blake Rose closed out his first headlining tour in San Diego. Anticipation was high even before Blake stepped on the stage. The set change-over music had the crowd buzzing with hits from One Direction, Taylor Swift, and Harry Styles. When the first notes of ‘Rollerblades’ filled the air, the excitement reached a fever pitch. The momentum continued with ‘Don’t Stop the Car,’ ‘Dizzy,’ and ‘Casanova.’ He alternated between a keyboard and guitar throughout the night, and was backed by an equally talented guitarist and drummer. Despite the show being on a Wednesday night, it felt like a weekend party with the fans singing at the top of their lungs and dancing along to every word. 

Since it was the last date on the Suddenly Okay Tour, there were some incredible surprises. During ‘Ordinary People,’ fans held up handmade signs in the shape of hearts with the phrase “But if we’re with you, that’s enough” written on them. Blake seemed touched by these signs, and took many photos with the crowd to commemorate the gesture. While in the center of the crowd, Blake performed ‘Gone’ on an acoustic guitar without any accompaniment. The crowd was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.  For the show's final section, he brought the energy back up with ‘Suddenly Okay.’ The night ended on a high note with a cover/medley of One Direction’s ‘Night Changes’ & Blake’s song ‘How Do We Stay in Love.’ Fans could not be more excited after getting a taste of Blake’s new music and touring. We are all suddenly okay after that 17 show run, and Blake is just getting started to say the least. 

Voodoo Room in San Diego, CA on May 8, 2024

Photos by Sara Rosenthal