Show Review: Hey Rosetta! @ the Magic Stick

"With summer tour dates starting today at the Magic Stick in the magical land of Detroit..."-- from Hey Rosetta! on their blog.

"Magical" isn't usually an adjective associated with Detroit, but Newfoundland's Hey Rosetta!-- singer/guitarist/keyboardist Tim Baker, guitarist Adam Hogan, bassist Jon Hynes (filling in very ably for Josh Ward), drummer Phil Maloney, violinist Kinley Dowling and cellist Romesh Thavanathan-- and their exquisite, soaring alt rock made it that way for N2D and a small but fervent group of fans at the Magic Stick on Tues., Jun. 28. This time taking the stage as the headliner, they opened with "Seeds" from their latest album of the same name, which includes the sound of two pieces of wood clacked together by Thavanathan. It's a fitting metaphor for the two-time Polaris short-listers because they excel at taking the ordinary from germination to emotionally percussive and poignant blooms.

"We've put together a new set list for this tour, and we're trying it out for the first time tonight," lead singer and guitarist/keyboardist Tim Baker announced. We have a set list from the show for you to win if you answer the question at the end of this blog correctly. But the band didn't get a chance to put it to the test: Detroit had a little magic of its own in store for Hey Rosetta! Obviously surprised by the level of adoration from the audience-- and count us among them-- they departed from the set list to satisfy requests, delivering characteristically stirring renditions of "I've Been Asleep For A Long, Long Time" and "Red Heart" (from their 2008 release, Into Your Lungs) and "Lions for Scottie" (from their debut EP, Plan Your Escape).

If you weren't able to make the show, or are a Hey Rosetta! fan, they're returning to the Detroit area on Sat., Sep. 17, playing the DIY Street Fair in Ferndale. Set time is 7:30 p.m. You can also hear them on Mon., Sep. 19 when they perform for the Polaris Prize Gala (when winners are announced) along with other nominees. CBC Radio 3 will be broadcasting the event live; you can also listen on SiriusXM channel 152.

Photos: Russ Gordon/N2D Images

Much of the inspiration for Seeds came from Hey Rosetta!'s travels through a certain part of Canada. Email us with either the province or a town they visited on that tour in 2009 and the set list from their show in Detroit on Jun. 28 is yours.