“Warming up the crowd” might feel like a misnomer on one of the hottest evenings of the year, but the night got off to a compelling start thanks to support acts Olive Featherstone and Margo Raats. Featherstone brought humour and charm to the stage, weaving intricate guitar melodies with stirring string arrangements. Raats, by contrast, offered a raw, stripped-back set — armed with just a guitar and shimmering vocals, laying her vulnerabilities bare in an intimate and heartfelt performance.

With the audience suitably primed, Gordi made an understated entrance. She and her band slipped onto the stage almost unnoticed before opening with Alien Cowboy, immediately drawing the room into her sonic world.

Her rich, resonant vocals, often likened to that of Florence Welch and Imogen Heap were on full display, anchoring a set that effortlessly blended acoustic textures with electronic loops, subtle distortions, and layered harmonies. The result was a soundscape both grounded and otherworldly, as older tracks intertwined with newer ones in seamless succession. Cutting Room Floor lifted the room with its playful melodies and swelling percussion, while Sandwiches mesmerised through its haunting vocals and bubbling synths, adding emotional weight and texture to the performance.

Gordi’s rapport with the audience was as natural as her artistry. Between songs, she shared anecdotes that added warmth and intimacy to the evening. While the mystery of her old professor eating Bolognese at his desk while seeing patients remains unresolved, we were treated to a tale of Chris Martin being moved to tears by Lunch at Dune. A track stirred similar emotion in the crowd, its delicate nuances awashing over with blistering poignancy.

“This is the joy of live music,” Gordi declared with a laugh, mid-battle with a stubborn vocal loop during Heaven I Know. After some determined tinkering and a few well-placed curse words, the technology fell into line, allowing the track’s intricate layers to slowly unfold into a towering pop crescendo. A perfect moment that captured the charm and unpredictability of live performance.

Though the night ended without an encore, it closed on a high with Can We Work It Out as its unconventional drum patterns reverberated around the room and lingered in the air long after the final notes.

Altogether, Gordi’s Bristol debut was a masterclass in both emotional depth and sonic craftsmanship. And as she prepares to release her third studio album, Like Plasticine, on August 8th, the evening left little doubt - something remarkable is just around the corner.

*****

i: https://www.instagram.com/gordimusic