Orla Gartland is a Shrek 2 fan at Paradise Rock Club on Tuesday, 22 April 2025.

Fightmaster doesn’t surrender to sadness in the opening slot.

Local singer-songwriter Emma Harner makes a surprise cameo.

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Hump Nights

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Hump Nights

Apr 26

Slo-Anne returns! or debuts! at Jamaica Plain’s favorite dive.

May 3

Foxtails (CT) headlining a bill of rah rah raw rock n roll.

May 7

A triplestack of rock in Rat City, USA.

May 10

The 4th Wall celebrates its 18-month anniversary at Capitol Theater.

May 14

Rock n roll legends The Zombies on the big screen.

HOUND HANDLER / SWEET PETUNIA / NEMARCA / KEEGAN JAMES

May 19

A quadruplestack of folk rock in Rat City, USA.

May 20

BIMBO (MI) brings a night of art punk vibrations.

May 24

Matinees are punk rock.

May 31

Maine backwards at Jamaica Plain’s favorite dive. Don’t miss this!

Hump Nights

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Hump Nights 〰️ Ace the Quiz, Win the Tix 〰️

Orla Gartland

Ireland’s Orla Gartland returned to Boston for a packed night of popping rock at the Paradise Rock Club. The level of anticipation and excitement was high. Fans queued up before the doors opened, dressed up in show regalia, with the line swinging around the block and out of sight. All for a chance to get first dib on spots closest to the stage so they could be within a wink and a nod’s distance of their Shamrock Chanteuse.

The singer-songwriter on guitar, along with her two “divas” on drums and bass/keys, proved a versatile rock trio. Uptempo, downtempo – whatever the tempo. And it was a rare number that didn’t have the crowd joining in for the verses, never mind the chorus.

Gartland’s fans love her music. But like true fanatical fandom, it’s about more than what you can see and hear. It’s about what you can feel. The artist has fashioned a coming-of-age emotional zeitgeist, warm and inviting, into which her pubescent fans crawl like a kid into a marsupial’s pouch.

The setlist included the song “Simple,” which Gartland glossed as a “straightforward” love song. “Straightforward” because it was delivered “without a ‘but.’” The predominant mood of a Gartland performance is one of raucous, joyful celebration. Though it’s a joy couched in a certain incredulity, skepticism, wariness, born out of a trauma that generally goes unnamed.

The prototypical Gartland fan is the young adult in the throes of hormonal exuberance who’s had their knuckles rapped a few times by a world that makes little sense to them (because it makes little sense to anyone). And they look up to her like a big sister, older and wiser, waiting for her signal that it’s safe to be vulnerable, to be unguarded, to love and be loved.

Does all that sound overly serious? No worries, Gartland debuted a new song called “Now What,” inspired by Shrek 2. Like a memorable sleepover or all-nighter, there are both tears and laughter.

*Orla Gartland (left) and Emma Harner (right)*

Hump Day News last caught Gartland in Somerville at the Armory last November. A remarkable performance in which the artist shrugged off tech glitches and saved the night on the strength of pure charisma. Thankfully, the tech glitches did not return, but the opener from that November show did. Local singer and guitarist Emma Harner joined Gartland on stage at the Paradise for a few songs delivered with the guest’s signature “math folk” stylings.

Fightmaster

The two-piece Fightmaster opened with a rock n roll set that would not have sounded out of place as the score to a fantasy film for young adults in the 1980s. NeverEnding Story-core.