Photos and Writing by Kyle Ostrander
Alternative rock artist Molly Martin stopped by NYC on Sunday for a distorted and hard-hitting set of music. The show was the last stop of the group’s week-long eastern US run of shows. Even late on a Sunday night, the venue buzzed from crowd’s anticipation as they intently waited for Molly to take the stage with her band.
“New York! It’s time for us to do the thing!” declared Molly before joining her bassist and drummer in a heavy intro jam that transitioned seamlessly into the band’s set. The show featured tracks from the group’s debut album, Mary, as well as their various EPs, including “That Girl Margaret”, “Don’t Come Calling Me”, and “I Like Losers”. Between songs, Molly would often share fun banter with the crowd, and even give insight into the backstory for her music. “I wrote this next one mid-pandemic when all I wanted to do was buy new pants and get a haircut somewhere” said the singer before performing “Motel 6”. Along with originals, fans of nineties rock were in for a treat when the band covered “Torn” by Natalie Imbruglia, and later on “Zombie” by The Cranberries, which put a shine on Molly’s vocal capabilities.
Distorted guitar overlaid with melodic vocals mixed perfectly with the rhythm section’s deep bass and pounding drums to create a sound that was both recognizable but still invigoratingly unique. Dim and moody stage lights augmented the vibes of the band’s music, while each member jammed out on stage, often turning to interact with one another during the instrumental and jam-based portions of their songs. The audience fed off this energy by cheering loudly, throwing their hands up, and singing along anytime they knew the words. “A song is a song, but it takes on meaning when we can reflect back on it and experience it all together. So thank you for being here with me tonight to give these songs meaning” expressed Molly in appreciation to her fans. The show concluded with an encore featuring a stripped down guitar and vocals rendition of Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell’s song “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”.
Molly Martin has one more show scheduled for this year at 118 North in Wayne, PA. You can find more details about the show, as well as other info and social media links, on Molly’s website.
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