March 14, 2015 - Having watched Orla Gartland’s YouTube videos for nearly four years, I (Caroline) had incredibly high expectations for her USA debut tour, when we attended her show at Jammin Java. Hailing from Ireland, Orla has been playing guitar from the age of 12, and is completely self-taught in her musical talents. Since then, she has amassed nearly 100,000 YouTube subscribers over her five years of uploading both unique covers and originals. One quality that has most likely attracted her global mass of followers, aside from her immense musical talent, is her quirky but undeniably loveable personality.  I have a theory that it is impossible to not like Orla Gartland because she is such a genuinely kind person with a fabulous sense of humor, and I think after watching just one of her videos or one of her performances, that would be evident to anyone.

         For this show, we of course purchased the early admission tickets so we could hang out with a group of other fans and Orla before the official start of the show. Due to time constraints, this meeting was brief, but there was a chance for a quick group jam to “Hey Ya” by Outkast before she had to run backstage to prepare for the show. In the meantime, we were able to snag a front row spot to wait for the rest of the show. Meanwhile, it was interesting to observe the crowds of people that trickled in during the next hour. The demographics were surprisingly varied, with an audience containing people of all age groups, which I think speaks to Orla’s undeniably lovable and quirky manner, which makes her appealing and endearing to people of all ages.

    The show started off with a thirty-minute set by her East-Coast opener, Olivia Millerschin, an 19 year-old singer-songwriter from Michigan. She alternated between ukulele, guitar, and piano to play through several of her originals from her old EP Over the Weather and new album Yes. No. Maybe So., interspersed with bits of witty banter and humor to keep the crowd entertained. One of the highlights of the evening was a quirky and adorable ukulele tune entitled “I Wanna Grow Old With You”. It was equal parts love song and comedic tune, with references to winning bingo, knitting fuzzy sweaters, and chasing youngsters off her lawn. Her performance was impressive and a welcome introduction to Orla, showcasing her undeniable songwriting talents and refreshingly genuine personality.