The Resident is a unique venue; food and drink trucks at the entry, as well as outdoor seating, all before even arriving at the venue’s official door. A sign posted on the wall indicated that the doors would open at 7 pm and the opener would begin at 8:15 pm, but at 7 pm a man at the door stood in between the few lined up guests and Anna of the North, whose unmistakable voice could be heard in the not-so-far distance. The line of guests grew over the following hour until finally people were allowed inside to fill up the small bar for an intimate session of music. Ambar Lucid, the opener, was finishing up sound check as all walked in. Along the sides of the venue were comfy seats, with and without tables, that many settled into—prime seats that were practically on the stage itself.
Shortly after her official starting time, Ambar Lucid began her set with “Eyes.” She performed alone with an electric guitar but under the unfortunate proximity to a snare drum, which caused some problems with the sound. Nevertheless, her excellent vocals managed to ring through. As she moved onto tracks such as “Listen,” “Somewhere In Between” and “A letter to My Younger Self,” the sound issues lessened and the crowd grew larger and louder.
Ambar Lucid charmingly managed to get through the obstacles and the crowd was left impressed by the young talent. Despite her few tracks on Spotify, we heard more originals and even a new track that featured her signature Spanish and English mix of lyrics. Once the first set was done, the crowd’s chattering and the bar’s clinking noises filled the room.
After a 30-minute or so wait, Anna of the North went on stage for her first performance in Los Angeles. She began with one of her dreamier tracks, “Oslo,” which successfully grabbed the attention of the entire crowd. Anna’s stage presence directly contrasted the openers as she danced along to mellow tunes such as “Always,” “Money” and “Friends.” The fans in the front row sang along to every word of the Norwegian artist’s tracks, like “Sway,” “Feels” and “The Dreamer.” Anna proved herself a charismatic and caring performer when she left the stage to join the crowd for a quick dance at the end of “Lovers.”
After performing “Someone,” Anna shocked the crowd temporarily when she announced that her final song would be “Fire,” a track that she excitedly jumped and danced to all across the small stage. However, her leave from the stage only lasted seconds before she returned to end the night with the crowd-requested encore.
Now in a venue such as Resident, the privilege of a great spot up front comes with the cost of a delayed exit. Near the entrance, Anna could be found beside the merchandise tables joyfully interacting with fans. The venue is clearly one where artists and even celebrities, such as Brittany Snow who was in the audience, felt safe enough to reside within the crowds.
Leave a Comment