Orla Gartland at the Forum

London is Orla Gartland’s penultimate stop on the EU/UK leg of her Hero tour, and as she runs onstage at the Kentish Town Forum to Bonnie Tyler’s Holding Out For a Hero, dressed like an intergalactic superhero – complete with cape – it becomes clear we’re in for a show.

The Irish singer-songwriter is about to play a sold-out gig in Dublin before embarking on the US section of her tour, but you wouldn’t be able to tell she has been on the road for a month: Gartland and her band are a well-oiled machine, bursting with infectious energy as they fire through Sound of Letting Go and Kiss Ur Face Forever, from her latest record, Everybody Needs a Hero.

For an artist with just two albums out, Gartland struts about the stage with the confidence of a seasoned professional, but she also exudes a childlike wonder that translates in her giddy dance moves and stomping feet. It’s endearing to see an artist genuinely enjoy what they do, and be sincere about it – despite her insistence that “it’s hard for me to be sincere”.

What’s even more impressive is her band: drummer Sara Leigh-Shaw and bassist/keyboardist/backing vocalist Scarlet Halton. They keep perfect rhythm as Gartland switches through four different guitars, the three of them in perfect sync as they seamlessly transition from song to song.

The first part of the night is full of heartfelt hits from her first album like Madison and You’re Not Special, Babe, reaching a crescendo with a solo rendition of Mine, and the deliciously catchy Why Am I Like This? which the crowd sings word for word, much to the singer’s delight.

Gartland plays new track Now What? before proclaiming the “party” bit of the evening is about to start. The band plays a fun Chappell Roan cover before leading an exhilarating call-and-response to Backseat Driver, rousing up the audience for a few more songs. Zombie! and Late to the Party are transformed into party anthems, and during the encore, a lucky fan gets to spin a wheel of fortune deciding which song the band will play next (Flatline).

As her perfectly paced, tight show comes to a close, it’s undeniable that Orla Gartland is a true rockstar at heart. What’s more rock’n’roll than talking about your feelings, and having a little fun with it in the process? In a sea of blasé popstars, she is the hero we need.

Antigoni Pitta
Photos: Guifre de Peray

For further information and future events visit Orla Gartland’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Sound of Letting Go here: