Live Review: Gordi

Halfway through her set, Gordi takes a moment to thank her audience for coming. Apparently she was nervous about adding a second Sydney date: it would suck if she ended her tour singing to an empty room. Lucky for her this was definitely not the case. Newtown Social Club was sold out for the rising star. This may have surprised her, but I doubt it surprised anyone in the crowd. Recently signed to Jagjaguwar (of Bon Iver fame), the Canowindra-raised folktronica singer is on her way to the big league. And, lucky for her, she has built a set ready for the coming ascent.

Her sound is big: layers of sample pads, loops and drums bring momentum and urgency to her aching, panoramic vocals. Her lyrics demand drama and Gordi delivers an impressive emotional range, which is at times longing and wistful, at others, defiant and resilient.

Adding to this drama is an ambitious stage show. She had a talented stable of musicians backing her up and at one point, she invited her opening act, Jake Meadows, on stage to lend some fragile plucks on the harp to a quieter ballad. Visually she aimed high as well. Her stage is peppered with twinkling light bulbs that flicker in random rotation. The gesture is small, but effective. They set the tone for the intimate 'only light in the dark', landscape of her music.

She rounds her set out with a cover of Courtney Barnett's Avant Gardener. This cover sits nicely in her set but is a marked departure from the song's original manifestation. Gordi's sentimental confessionalism sits strangely inside Barnett's dry, self-deprecating lyrics (at one point even Gordi lets a chuckle break though - Barnett, is, after all, very funny).