Gig review: Georgia Gordon, Edinburgh

“I WAS scared that no-one would show up tonight!” exclaimed Georgia Gordon, her voice just about holding together through the nerves.

Georgia Gordon. Picture: Facebook

Georgia Gordon – Jazz Bar, Edinburgh

***

A native of Peebles and now studying popular music in Edinburgh, Gordon could be forgiven for believing her still-young career hadn’t gathered much attention, yet this modestly sized basement venue was still packed out to barely standing room only.

Launching her new EP on young local label Folk Rag Records, the 19-year-old singer and guitarist rose to the occasion in a manner which suggested her career has plenty of potential yet to be fulfilled. On the one hand there was the unmistakable sense of an artist still finding her feet, perhaps partly encouraged by the fact her three backing band members (including her partner Isaac Webb on drums) were similarly young and raw, and didn’t play with the complete confidence or abandon of experienced musicians.

Yet Gordon’s songwriting is well-developed and supportive of a voice which is her strongest asset, a huskily mature sound with a tone and personality pitched somewhere between folk and rock. The easy comparisons to make, given the slightly transatlantic twang to her naturally accented singing voice, would be KT Tunstall or Amy Macdonald, although Beth Orton is a less contemporary but more appropriate match. It was pleasing to note that as she closed the show with a satisfied smile, bound for bigger and better things before long, everyone, including her mum, earned a word or two of thanks.