Everybody Needs a Hero (2024) is the sophomore album from Irish singer-songwriter Orla Gartland. This album feels like it “saved” me to an extent — definitely in my Top 5 albums from last year — I felt a connection to this album I hadn’t felt in a long time. I had the pleasure of catching Gartland in November last year at a sold-out Atlantis show (9:30’s little sibling). I was thrilled to see her come back through North America so soon, especially recently back in DC for a proper show at 9:30 Club.
On April 26 at 9:30 Club, the show opened with an intimate performance from FIGHTMASTER, also known by their name ER Fightmaster. They’re known for their role as Dr. Kai on Grey’s Anatomy and their solo music project under just their last name. The Violence EP came out in 2023 and features the single “Bad Man.” The follow-up EP Bloodshed Baby debuted in 2024.
I thought their performance was captivating — they had the audience in the palm of their hand. While I’d love to see them with a full band, the duo held their own. Some fans on the barricade shed a few tears during a tender song, Fightmaster noticed this and said jokingly “alright let’s get horny again.” “Bad Man” closed the set and it got a singalong from the crowd.
Stream “Bad Man” by Fightmaster on YouTube:
Orla Gartland took the stage to the iconic “Holding Out for a Hero,” with infectious energy. She marched around the stage hyping up the crowd during the opening song “SOUND OF LETTING GO.” Next, she transitioned into the banger “Kiss Ur Face Forever,” which is the first song I heard from Gartland. The bassline is so simple, yet so good, and there’s an ear-wormy guitar riff that transforms her into a rockstar. “Codependency” is from her debut album Woman on the Internet (2021), which thematically is similar to “The Hit” (2024).
It was drummer Sara’s birthday, so there was a break for the crowd to sing her a happy birthday. Gartland remarked that, “there’s nowhere I’d rather be in this iconic venue. I know it’s an early show, but it has the energy of a freak little late show.” I don’t know about you, but I love an early show. Headliner at 7:30 and done by 9:00? Leave the venue and the streets are still bustling? Fantastic. During “More Like You,” Gartland praised the DC crowd’s singing abilities.
Gartland played “Madison,” a yearning acoustic track about an ex-somebody. For Gartland, it’s about an ex-therapist as said on her Patreon sometime in 2020, but “Madison” could be anybody, and that’s why I love it. “Simple” is a remarkably wholesome song that could also be about anyone, whether it’s a friend, partner, or family member. It has The Sound of Music “My Favorite Things” energy, where the majority of the song is listing simple pleasures. Gartland said “9:30 Club I’ve got my cutest guitar on because I’m gonna play my cutest song. It’s a rare thing because I find it very difficult to be sincere, and so I find it very difficult to write a sincere love song, but this is my best attempt.”
Before playing “Why Am I Like This?” Gartland stated, “It’s a pretty scary time to be a trans person in your country. You don’t need me to tell you, but I just wanted to let you know that ALL of you are welcome in this room,” which garnered fervent applause. She shouted out Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ rights organization, and encouraged this audience to donate at merch, “they do amazing work.” “Why Am I Like This?” live is such a fun singalong, and had such an intense bass feel that you don’t get on the record.
Watch Orla Gartland perform “Why Am I Like This?” live for The Orchard on YouTube:
“It’s another question title which I love,” Gartland said before performing her newest single “Now What?” Regarding the track, “I can’t explain why, but I really feel like it should have been on the Shrek 2 soundtrack. Just picture it. In one sense it’s actually a gut-wrenching song about my breakup, but in another sense, I imagine it across a Shrek and Fiona montage.” She announced an extended addition of Everybody Needs a Hero would be dropping in a few short weeks. After that, the set transitioned into what Gartland referred to as “the party set.”
The “party set” kicked off with a cover of Chappell Roan’s “Red Wine Supernova,” which was not only a crowd-pleaser, but I thought really suited Gartland’s musical and vocal style. Next, we got “Backseat Driver,” where Gartland invited two patrons onstage to be hype-people. “Let it be known I love my children all equally, but I’m gonna need someone who made a real effort with the fit,” Gartland said while scanning the crowd for the lucky patrons. She split the crowd down the middle and assigned each side a vocal part from the song’s chorus. The patrons’ names were Andy (they/them) and Michelle, who had a kermit doll with them. Gartland presented them each with a sign, one with “La La La La” and the other “I wouldn’t trust me either!” Together, the crowd sang in a call and response with each other so beautifully.
For “Zombie,” she had patrons get low and spring up to dance to the chorus. At the end of that song she said, “It’s time for me now to participate in an age-old showbiz tradition of lying. I’m not above it! I love the theater of it all. So, 9:30 Club, this is our last song.” The crowd responded with theatrical boos and disappointed sounds. She “concluded” with “Late To The Party,” my second favorite song from the record. Gartland paused midway to thank her crew, band members Sara and Scarlett, and FIGHTMASTER. Afterwards, she said, “So I’ve been happy in this little section of the stage all night, but this is a really iconic venue and I’m not gonna lie, I kinda want to play some drums in here.” So, Sara and Orla did a “switcheroo” and Sara got the crowd hyped up to scream for Orla’s drumming to close out the song.
The encore consisted of “Mine” performed solo acoustic, the title track “Everybody Needs a Hero,” and last but not least, “Little Chaos,” my favorite. Being one of my favorite songs from last year, it felt amazing to let loose and hear it live. When the set concluded, the band took their bows and danced around the stage before heading off. Who doesn’t love an end-of-set dance party?
Definitely check out Orla Gartland and FIGHTMASTER if you get the chance. There’s a few more dates left of her headlining tour, then she makes stops at Glastonbury, Lollapalooza, and Hinterland. Gartland closes out the summer with a few dates opening for Glass Animals.
Here are some photos of Orla Gartland performing at 9:30 Club on April 26, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Carolin Harvey.
Here are some photos of Fightmaster opening Orla Gartland at 9:30 Club on April 26, 2025. All pictures copyright and courtesy of Carolin Harvey.
