Marianne Joyce + Old Moll live @ the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth
Show Date: 26th September 2026
On the approach to this show, my companion and I walked through crowds of football fans, general
revellers and swarms of folks out on the hunt for something which made for a pre-febrile atmosphere. On entering the Barbican theatre, however, the vibe switched almost immediately to one of acceptance, welcoming, and genuinely positive feeling towards the evening's forthcoming entertainment. That sense of openness and warmth continued when the lights dimmed and we stepped tentatively into one of the most intimate and emotionally open gigs I have seen in years.
To set the tone, Bristol based Old Moll took to the stage in a juxtaposing red dress and NHS glasses before unleashing a distinctly beautiful and arresting set of songs upon the audience. Here is an artist with a voice full of rich, low tones and gently disarming power delivering lyrics atop the rippling warm acoustic notes that Jose Gonzalez would be proud of. This is the kind of music that you could lose and entire Sunday afternoon to and an artist that should, if there's any justice, be reaching more ears and souls in the not too distant future.
The evening, however, belonged to
Marianne Joyce and her assembled band of ne'er-do-wells which featured some local legends such as Jon Fazal and Lukas Drinkwater. One year on from her first open mic performance in this very venue, Marianne Joyce held a sold-out audience in the palm of her hand with a natural ease behind the microphone and songs so relatable you could take them down the pub and share a bag of scampi fries over a pint. The evening was ostensibly designed to launch the new 'Every Cloud' EP but it really turned into a group therapy session as we were taken on a meandering trip through the mind of a singer-songwriter with such a natural creative ease that she had time for banter, guitar mishaps and the kind of warmth that makes an audience fall in love without question. I hesitate to use the phrase 'rising star' but based on this trajectory, Marianne Joyce could go on to do some really special things and I, for one, can't wait to be part of that journey.
More information:
Marianne Joyce - https://www.instagram.com/mariannejmusic/
Old Moll - https://www.instagram.com/old.moll/
