Passenger: the one-man band.

Words: Leah Holdsworth
Pictures: Kate Scantleton

When I walked up the stairs of the Troubadour late last Tuesday evening, I was anticipating a five-piece folk band named Passenger.  Instead, the stage was empty of a drum, guitars, or keyboard. In its place, out sauntered Mike Rosenberg, lead singer of the band.

Solo. With a guitar strapped across his shoulders.

Mike Rosenberg had decided to grace our lovely country with his presence alone. And instead of a live show that lacked its missing members, Mike melded the set into a one man band.

He held his own during songs such as ‘Brick Walls’, ‘Love Song (Part 1 and Part 2)’, and a well rendered cover of Rihanna’s ‘Umbrella’ .

The audience, which admittedly started out as small, gradually grew. Or perhaps it just appeared to grow as people began to move from their seats along the sides of the wall and place themselves respectfully down at his able feet.

A poignant moment occurred when he unplugged his guitar, moved closer towards the end of the stage, and played a song completely acoustically. It was a very intimate moment, in which we as the audience sat in complete silence, appreciating the moment as special.

A few members of the audience up nearest to the bar were talking raucously, visibly unsettling Mike’s performance. It was a shame to see.

However, besides those unappreciative few, I left (along with the rest of the audience I can assure you), feeling thankful to have experienced such a unrivaled live show.