Laura Marling

Laura Marling
Commodore Ballroom
June 27th, 2012
Doors 8 / Willy Mason 9:30 / Laura Marling 10:30

In the hours leading up to Laura Marlings' show, I tried to eat a proper meal but didn't have any appetite; I was too excited to finally see her headline a show. The Commodore Ballroom is a suitable venue for her droning and melodic folk tunes and acoustic songs.
I arrived just past 9pm and noticed that the floor was nearly empty. I walked straight to the front of the stage and planted my feet just a couple feet from where Laura would shortly be. I met a few fans who came down from Yellowknife and the Island just to see the show. That shows dedication, and well they respectively deserved their positions at the front of the stage.
Laura Marling looked lovely in her vintage red and white floral dress and white sneakers. She perched herself on her stool and launched into her first song. The audience was rowdy with excitement but was quickly hushed to a pin-drop silence with Laura Marling's mesmerizing voice. She admitted to being bad at banter and well we of course helped her out. The audience was rowdy and "lively, for a Laura Marling concert." She was delightfully and surprisingly awkward and coy for such a talented artist with a gift for storytelling through songwriting.
She was accompanied by four other musicians, a multi-instrumentalist / percussionist, a pianist and guitarist, a celloist and upright bassist filled out the stage.

Midway though the set everyone left the stage and Laura played several songs unaccompanied. These were my favourite moments of the entire show. It shows her talent and blatant skill in songwriting. Just brilliant.

Favourite moments include Laura Marling introducing her band mates and stating that each one had prepared an interesting fact that they would share to make up for their lack of banter, it was hilarious.
A memorable moment for me was her performance of "What He Wrote" from her 2010 release 'I Speak Because I Can.' Her music has always been something that has been able to turn my stomach into knots and at the same time, lull me to sleep.

Laura Marling - Hope In The Air at The Commodore Ballroom