Marti Perramon: Live Review
Thekla Bristol, October 21: a thrilling performance that blurred the line between intimacy and spectacle. Despite not being the headline act, Marti Perramon stole the hearts of fans in Thekla last Tuesday.
After a beautiful performance from sister-duo ‘Dolder’, the audience was warming up. The buzz from the crowd indicated that many fans were here for Marti, despite him not being the headline act. Marti skips onto the stage, his face plastered with a big grin, and is met with a wave of phones held aloft ready to record him. He starts the show with ‘Grey’ - a hopelessly romantic ballad that instantly captures the attention of the audience.
From there, the short-but-sweet set unfolds like a scrapbook of youth. Marti’s casual and humorous approach towards the audience was incredibly charming throughout. He effortlessly changes the tone, singing ‘All My Life’, an upbeat pop hit. The crowd loved this and despite not being the headliner, it felt as if they were there to see only him. He demonstrated star quality, owning the stage and talking to the audience with confidence - admirable considering this was a solo performance without the support of his band.
“You’ve talked about wanting your music to be young and anthemic while still leaning into vulnerability. When you're making music and performing, how do you go from being really energetic to being like, okay guys, let's take it down a notch?”
“I think it's just an expression of who I am. On the same day I can go from jumping around and then get into my head about things - like anyone. So it's not like a fabricated thing. I think it's just letting different parts of what I am into the world, I guess, and putting them out in a way that seems digestible.”
Marti’s ability to captivate the crowd was what made this performance so endearing. His setlist was dynamic: his new song ‘Peace Sign’ even featured a spontaneous dance break. During our pre-show interview, I asked Marti if he’d taken dance classes before, to which he responded:
“I took a few break-dancing classes when I was younger - nothing serious. But I’m Spanish…I’ve got hips and I can move them!”
It was impressive how he managed to make a solo performance feel so full of life. Bounding across the stage and clearly having the time of his life, Marti radiated joy; it’s obvious he genuinely loves performing and getting the crowd moving.
There is no doubt Perramon has the potential to go far. His songwriting skills shone the brightest during his performance of the unreleased ‘Can’t Stop the Bleeding’, a moving tribute to his late stepfather who lost his life to suicide. The audience was mesmerised - myself included. Watching from the balcony above, I noticed there wasn't a single person on their phone or whispering; some even wiped away tears. This level of silence and connection is almost unheard of for a support act, especially in a venue as intimate as Thekla.
When people listen to your music, what do you hope they take away from it? How do they feel?
“My main goal in music, and in my life, is to inspire people to feel really comfortable with themselves and to make that a priority in their day-to-day life. I had trouble at school for being myself, because I made music and was quite eccentric. Because I did that, I feel like I’ve found people around me who love me for who I am. But I know some people might not have that and I just hope that they feel inspired by my music to showcase who they really are.”
Marti proved he's far more than a warm-up act. His performance shone with originality, heart and charisma.
Luckily for us, Marti just announced his very own headline tour, ‘Boy from Barcelona Baby Tour,’ which he declared will be “the greatest time of anyone's life.” Catch him at the Louisiana Bristol in February 2026!