By Sophie Mitchell, First Year Politics and International Relations
After supporting Self Esteem on tour earlier this year, Gia Ford makes an appearance at Bristol’s Art Club on the first date of a seven-stop national tour. Her debut album Transparent Things, released on 13th September, is a stunning tapestry of classic rock-inspired gritty guitar combined with dreamy Americana-influenced vocals.
This polished debut was produced alongside the legendary Tony Berg, who has worked with Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers and Boygenius. Self-proclaimed influence Radiohead is particularly evident through the album’s use of moody guitars with a liberal use of haunting reverb.
Supporting Gia for this stop of the tour is Car Boot Sale, a London-based five-piece rock band. Their 30-minute set fills the basement venue with smooth, soulful guitar sounds and frontman Jaques Fugee’s exceptional vocals. He gees up the crowd, still filtering in, and tells us this is the band’s first performance in Bristol. Standout moments from their set included the catchy earworm ‘Feet Tappin’’ and ‘Shimmy On Down’, which impressively got the crowd singing along.
Coming onstage to greet a modest but enthusiastic crowd, Gia opens with the sharp-edged ‘Loveshot’. The rough guitar riff energises the crowd; the second track of Transparent Things makes a perfect concert opener. Gia thanks the crowd for turning out to support her first headline tour show and quickly launches into the slower-paced ‘Try Changing’, mellowing out the atmosphere of the room.
Gia tells the room that tonight she will be giving us the longest set she’s ever performed, which is welcomed by cheers and clapping from the crowd. The next song, ‘Sleeping In Your Garden’, is a 2020 single and feels a little more stripped back than her newer songs. The heavy guitar builds the atmosphere and captivates the crowd as she launches into her most streamed single.
‘Poolside’ is clearly a fan favourite, judging by the response to Gia introducing it as the next song. ‘Good, thank you,’ she jokes, prompting scattered laughter in the crowd. The vocals come across even more smoothly and hauntingly when performed live.
The lyricism is particularly engaging, matching dark motifs ('so kiss me now/or I’ll blow your brains right out/sitting by the poolside') with the rich, easygoing mid-tempo nature of the song. Once the song finishes, a woman shouts ‘you're so good!’ which exemplifies the special place the song holds among Gia’s fanbase.
It’s Gia’s third time performing in Bristol this year, as she tells us before slowing the tempo down with an older single which is not from Transparent Things, ‘Car Crash For Two’, followed by ‘Alligator’. She switches her electric guitar out for an acoustic for ‘Falling in Love Again’ and ‘Don’t Drown Me Out’. A particularly enthusiastic fan in the front row responds ‘me too!’ when Gia tells us ‘Don’t Drown Me Out’ is a favourite of hers, despite not being released as a single.
The acoustic guitar is replaced by the Fender Stratocaster, which returns for the remainder of the set. In ‘Buzzing On You’, the keyboard’s retro tone is reminiscent of an organ, matching with religious motifs in the lyrics ('church bells ring, the street's on fire/I won't give up, I won't give in/you're my holy grail, my only sin'). Her latest single, ‘Earth Return’, released 6th November, comes from the same studio session as Transparent Things, and this shows in the stylistic similarities between the two projects.
Bristol, as the first tour stop, is treated to the debut public performance of Gia’s new single, ‘I Guess My Time Has Come’, which contains another irresistible guitar riff, defining it against the rest of her discography. The crowd reacts emphatically when Gia asks if they enjoyed it, with one audience member rating it a ‘ten!’.
‘Housewife Dreams of America’ is a cutting condemnation of unfulfilling relationships and superficial culture. The song also evokes a little more participation from the crowd and takes advantage of backing vocals provided by the band.
The audience becomes electrified when ‘Paint Me Like A Woman’ begins, singing the titular lyric back to the band. The song finishes with an additional guitar solo, exemplifying the powerful and impactful creative dynamic between Gia and her band.
The band pretends to leave the stage, turning the final song, ‘Our Mutual Friend’, into a mock encore. Also the final track of the album, the song is narrative-heavy and emotional. This provides a haunting final note for the set, an unconventional choice for a closing song.
Featured Image: Sophie MitchellWhat is your favourite song from the album?
