Marissa Nadler

Marissa Nadler has proven herself to be one of the most captivating female folk musicians to have come along in a while. Her music is heavily defined by her gentle fingerpicking of the acoustic guitar and her soft, soprano voice that is delivered with great beauty. Marissa Nadler usually presents her music at slow tempos, but her music manages to grasp her audience as soon as she starts singing. Her songs often have a macabre like quality and are hauntingly beautiful. Her music is somewhat comparable to Sharon Van Etten as well as some of her influences like Joni Mitchel, John Fahey, and Patti Smith. Marissa Nadler tours with a backing band that really helps fill out the ambient sound she produces on her albums. Her touring guitarist plays with heavy use of reverb that gives the sound a hollow, emotive tone that adds to the mystical elements of the music. She also tours with a violinist that conveys a somber element with drawn out strums and unsettling resonations of the violin. Marissa Nadler takes seemingly simple chord progressions and makes them interesting and intriguing. She also tunes her guitar in alternate tunings that allow her to get traditional folk like sounds that might be heard from John Fahey. Her voice perfectly captures the American Gothic themes she sings about, and her voice is presented with a form of sincerity that makes her music incredibly personal. When performing live, she plays to a hushed audience that is attentively focused on her presentation. Her live sets cover a great array of songs from most of her albums as well as an occasional cover of a Neil Young or Leonard Cohen song. Marissa Nadler will most likely be playing songs from her newest album, July, on her most recent tour, which is an album that shows a slightly more orchestral approach to music making. Marissa Nadler’s music is just as beautiful live as it is on her albums, and seeing her perform in a live setting is an opportunity you do not want to miss.

Marissa Nadler concert in St. John, Bethnal Green was perfect. Marissa was captivating from begining to end. I was hypnotised by her layered guitar sound and her poetic lyrics. There were some awkward silences when she had to tune her guitar, but these were as endearing as her shy nature. Being in a Church and close to the stage made it feel an intimate and informal evening. Oh, and her band were good, if a little quirky too as you might expect.
Martin Aggett

The most touching concert in my life.The amount of emotions coming out this outstanding woman is out of this world.She leaves her heart and soul on stage,and her songs sound even better live.She transforms them and gives them a whole new level.I can't wait for her next european tour!

Spellbinding performance, with brilliant music, singing and songs. Lovely atmosphere in St Mattias church. Only problem, had difficulty in finding the church, as my sat nav sent me to the wrong place. Still got a good seat even though I was late.

Thank you so much Marissa for coming in Romania, you are such a beautiful and sensitive artist. I'm so happy I could listen you in the concert. I hope you will come back here, my best wishes to you ! :*