Gabby Martin charms the crowd at The Lower Third
by Matt Bower Kail
Gabby Martin has something special. With a captivating blend of charisma, raw vocal talent and a natural flair for honest lyricism laced with subtle complexity, it’s no great surprise why her star is rising. Her latest single, the poignant ‘Cologne’, has garnered praise for its hypnotically immersive melodies and powerfully raw vocals since its release last month. With a rapidly growing online following, her name is soon becoming one of the most talked about in the indie pop scene. We had the pleasure of seeing Martin and her band in a momentous performance last week, marking the beginning of many more milestones to come.
The Lower Third is an unequivocally cool venue, well at home among the guitar shops and boho blues joints of London’s legendary Denmark Street. Once the site of The 12 Bar Club an iconic grassroots venue, The Lower Third has followed its footsteps by championing upcoming musical talent. The upstairs saloon bar with its understated cool bare brick aesthetic, doles out Dirty Martinis and other yesteryear cocktails in healthy measure. But in true speakeasy style, the hidden appeal lies below street level. It was in this atmospheric German techno-club-esque basement venue that Gabby Martin took to the stage for a small intimate gig on April 16.
From her very first song, Martin seemed natural and at ease as a performer. In a bold and vulnerable move she shook off any pre-gig nerves, opening the set with a solo performance. From the moment the band came in, the rhythm sections’ tight timing and musical chemistry was striking. The atmosphere created together was warm and contagious with the band’s in-jokes shared between songs bringing tides of laughter from the crowd. In moments such as the complimentary nods between Martin and her guitarist during her solo piano songs, it was charming to see how much the group enjoyed playing together.
While ‘jazzy’ has become a lazy adjective thrown in the direction of female singers, for Martin, jazz-infused would be an apt description. Her honey vocals and approachable charm, and gentle cool, make up the full package of classic lounge singer appeal. With new unreleased songs such as ‘You’re Welcome To It’ introduced coyly by Martin as her “sexy, sultry song”, her lyrical wit was on display as well as her accented vocal style (which exists in a similar world to sounds of Lily Allen’s earlier albums). The performance of her newest single, ‘Cologne’, was a definite highlight of the night. Her delivery of the evocative old soul hook, paired with a minimal descending guitar line was refreshingly stripped back with a relatable sting.
“ I don’t wanna smell your cologne / it smells like every boy I’ve known”
Closing the set with a crowd favourite, ‘Pressure’, her biggest hit to date – impressively just shy of 140K streams on Spotify – we were left wanting more. The chorus of ‘Encore!’ ensued.
With a small handful of singles currently released, Gabby Martin has already made it abundantly clear that she won’t be boxed into any one genre. When her next project drops, it’s certain to be a compelling insight into her eclectic influences and impressive scope of ability. ‘One to watch’ would be putting it lightly and we are beyond excited for what she has to showcase next.