Gig review: Molly Payton at The Bodega

DT, known by stage name tinyumbrellas, brought their charming mix of whimsical and introspective sounds to the stage first.

“How cool is this?!” – she pointed at her name, projected behind her, after performing Please Don’t Make This Weird, a song about the friendzone. “I’ve never had this before!” They then performed A Hundred Poems, their most recent song. It’s a track which reflects on the things you might have done for someone if you had stayed with them, but ultimately, you chose to leave, beautifully capturing the bittersweet nature of lost relationships.

Ranging from serious to seriously unserious moments, DT then took on the point of view of a bug for a brief song mid-set, before their love of the moon and Studio Ghibli films was evident in A Small Village, which transported the crowd to a dreamy, nostalgic place. Despite a broken string the other night, their multitasking skills shone through as they managed tuning their guitar while engaging with the intimate and attentive crowd who had shown up early for their set.

“I’m tinyumbrellas,” she reminded us as her set progressed towards the latter stages. “Like umbrellas, but smaller!” Their closing number, Just For Company, was a fitting end, and DT’s gentle and comforting strand of indie-pop music perfectly aligned with her sweet and tender on-stage persona, leaving a peaceful and positive aura in the room long after she retreated back to the merch stand to chat with fans who sought the cassettes, CDs and zines she had to offer.

Molly Payton took the stage with confidence, empowered by having her band surrounding her, but with the humility of an artist who is immensely grateful that a room of people want to hear her music. The first hiccup came early when her guitar strap slipped, a misfortune she humorously noted had happened the previous night as well. But this minor setback didn’t dampen her spirit; instead, it added to the charm of her performance.

The first song of the set, Bandits, was released in collaboration with her guitarist, Oscar Lang, who contributed a verse to the track, showcasing their longstanding collaboration. The pair have been writing together since Payton was 16 years old, and their musical chemistry together shone on stage, the product of being fully comfortable around each other, and knowing each other inside out.

Payton’s rapport with her whole band, and her sound engineer Ben Hirst, was evident, as she let him know she’d turned down her amp, which she admitted she was supposed to have done at the start of the set, but forgot to do.

The lead single for her album, Asphalt, came next, a highlight of both the album and the set. Songs like this one don’t come about often, but it is the type of track that can define a career – one that should be heard by many more people than were stood in The Bodega that evening. But with the uncertainties that come with touring the UK as an independent artist in today’s financial climate, it’s simply a relief that a room of people were hearing it at all, something Payton was acutely aware of. Another highlight which followed was Corduroy, the first song she wrote with Lang, where the harmonies between them were tight, once again showing their warmth and familiarity with one another.

The energy of the set peaked with You’re On Your Own This Time, Again, the track from which Payton’s album titles originates, and a moment where her strengths with a full band behind her really shine. Then, there was a playful moment when she covered Teenage Dirtbag, reflecting her easy-going nature on stage, as she thanked the crowd for letting her and the band have a moment of fun while performing. She then took the time to express gratitude to her band members, including Ben on guitar, Matt on drums, and Oscar, whom she humorously labelled as “old news” since she had already introduced him earlier on.

The pace slowed with Get Back To You, Payton’s own personal favourite from her album, which also resonated deeply with the crowd. She said the crowd could take a step back if they wished to, with everyone having crowded forward during the high-energy moments earlier on, but then she backtracked straight away, saying “please don’t!” This track was paired perfectly with Thrown Over, another mellower moment on the record, leading to her frequently performing them back to back in this way. Thriving equally in these higher- and lower-energy moments, Payton proved that she can engage a crowd no matter what, relying on her emotion to captivate people, rather than seeking musical perfection in all moments.

Near the end of the set, she told an anecdote related to her social media profiles. Fans had begun getting a strange warning recently when searching for Payton’s name on platforms such as Instagram, due to a supposed “drug warning”, as a result of her name including both the words ‘molly’ and ‘pay’. “We’re all here under false pretences!” someone in the front row laughed. But the truth was, everyone in that room was there because they wanted to support an independent – and immensely talented – artist, as well as the live music scene. This humorous moment ultimately transformed into a heartfelt reminder of what united everyone in the room at that moment.

The set concluded with a new song titled Hercules, performed away from the mic due to the respect that the crowd granted Payton throughout the evening, earning her trust to be quiet enough to hear her natural vocals. It was a tantalising glimpse into what’s next for Payton, leaving fans eagerly anticipating her future releases. But for now, it’s undeniable that she deserves to bask in the success of YOYOTTA for as long as possible – an album which she wrote without plans to release it, as she didn’t think it would be a reality for her. Now, she has proved herself wrong, and this lack of expectation has allowed her to let go of any anxieties she may have previously had. 

Now, she can focus on simply being able to perform these songs live, when only a year ago it seemed like an impossible feat. There’s nothing better than seeing an artist enjoying what they are doing – Payton is touring with her band, who are some of her closest friends, performing songs she made for herself and no one else, with no concerns about outside expectations. And after the tumultuous year she’s had, she’s able to reap the reward of all of her work, all of the hardships she has faced along the way, and just enjoy being in the moment. She’s having fun at every step of the way, and as a fan, that makes it impossible not to have fun, too.

@mollypayton

Molly Payton performed at The Bodega on 4th September 2024.