Aside from Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Nancy Wilson on vocals and guitar, Roadcase Royale is made up of Liv Warfield on lead vocals, Ryan Waters on lead guitar, and Heart members Chris Joyner on keyboards, Dan Rothchild on bass and Ben Smith on drums. In Wilson and Heart’s honor, the Gramercy Theatre bar was serving “Barracuda,” “Crazy on You” and “Magic Man” drinks.
Roadcase Royale promptly took the stage at 8:50 p.m., and their presence was met with a tremendous response. They performed songs mostly from their upcoming debut album, First Things First, will be released on September 22 on Loud & Proud Records.
“Hello, Gramercy Theatre. Thank you for coming,” Nancy Wilson said, prior to noting that all of their friends and family are in the audience tonight. They kicked off their set with “Get Loud,” where red lights dimmed from the stage, featuring Liv Warfield on lead vocals and Wilson on harmonies. “Clap your hands,” Warfield said, and the New York fans, obeyed her commands.
It was followed by “Even It Up,” the classic Heart song, where Wilson sang lead, which was quite impressive (especially since when she performs it with Heart, Ann sings lead). The inclusion of Warfield on “Even It Up” was superb, since she added sass and soul.
Speaking of Warfield, she was amazing on “Hold Onto My Hand,” where she showcased her powerhouse pipes, that were reminiscent of Jennifer Hudson (and that ought to be taken as a major compliment). “Oh wow,” Wilson said, in awe of the warm feedback from the crowd. Wilson noted that this was a Collin Hay song, and they did it justice.
After a technical glitch (that was beyond their control), a fan asked Wilson: “What happened to wireless?” and she responded accordingly: “There’s magic in these chords,” and rightfully so. Her prowess on acoustic and electric guitars respectively is unparalleled.
Wilson also discussed the background of “The Dragon.” She wrote it in the 90’s, and Dan Rothchild helped her finish the bridge at 5 a.m., and it turned into a Roadcase Royale song. Wilson delivered on electric guitar, while Warfield killed the harmonies.
They continued with “All in Love Is Fair” and “Two,” prior to singing her Billboard chart-topping single “These Dreams.” After “Cover Each Other,” they concluded their set with “Insaniac” and “Crazy On You.”
For their encore, Roadcase Royale returned for “No Way Back” and “Never Say Die,” which ironically enough is the closing tune of their forthcoming album.
The Verdict
Overall, Roadcase Royale was exceptional at Gramercy Theatre in New York. All six musicians were excellent on their instruments, while Nancy Wilson and Liv Warfield slayed the vocals. Warfield truly blew the roof off the Gramercy Theatre, and proved to be one of contemporary musician’s most underrated vocalists. It is evident that his new band is going places. Roadcase Royale is highly recommended seeing in concert when they come to town. Their live set at Gramercy Theatre garnered five out of five stars.
To learn more about Roadcase Royale and their touring schedule for the rest of the year, check out their official website.
Read More: Nancy Wilson chatted with Digital Journal about the Roadcase Royale concert at Gramercy Theatre in New York, and the rock queen opened up about the digital transformation of the music industry.
