Even in the midst of a historic natural disaster, music prevails in Nashville, Tenn. Daffo delivered a charming performance at Third Man Records’ Blue Room on Jan. 29.
21-year-old singer/songwriter Gabi Gamberg, the face of Daffo, navigates the challenges of entering adulthood through their poetic and undeniably relatable lyricism. The band opened the show with “Get a Life,” the first track off their debut album “Where the Earth Bends,” released in Sept. of 2025. Gamberg’s melodic crooning paired seamlessly with the band’s instrumental arrangements, ultimately setting the tone for the night. At least, that’s how it felt. “Absence Makes the Heart Grow” was to follow, and completely abandoned the intimate, melancholic aura Daffo had just established with their audience, in a lively way. This song has a vengeful, angsty quality that had the crowd head bopping to the steady drum beat and the dual guitar riffs. Daffo’s setlist felt very intentional and unfolded nicely as the night went on. The ebb and flow of the band’s more traditional indie, slowcore songs, intertwined with their moodier lyrics and high-tempo composition, and then back again, made for a magnetic stage presence. The audience absorbed all the energy Daffo brought to the stage.
As the band filed out after their 14-song set, the crowd started chanting for “one more!” Moments later, Gamberg trailed behind their bandmates, returning to the stage for an encore. Drummer Nick Wilkerson teased the audience with a drum roll, which eventually led to Gamberg introducing one of the band’s most unserious and whimsical songs in their discography, “The Experiment (Bonus Track),” which is the final song on their 2023 EP “Pest.” Not accompanied by their guitar, Gamberg held the audience’s attention by doing a little dance to the surreal lyrics. Gamberg contributed to the quirky soundscape with a harmonica moment that stunned the crowd. Daffo brought a distinctive indie-rock sound to Nashville, providing a brief getaway from the unfortunate circumstances that lie outside the Blue Room’s doors. Instantly catchy songs: “Collector,” – more angst for those who need it. “Good God,” – a song for when something, or rather someone, gets under your skin.
- Emma Moore
Photos Courtesy of Drew Noble (For Bell Music Magazine)
