Gabbi Bolt is quickly becoming a Melbourne International Comedy Festival staple. After her award-winning debut show, I Hope My Keyboard Doesn’t Break, Gabbi’s unique brand of musical comedy makes a triumphant return in 2023 with her new show, Odd Sock.
Returning to where it all began at Melbourne’s The Butterfly Club, I was excited to see that her show had received an upgrade by the way of a screen to the right of stage. Having seen several shows this season that utilise PowerPoint Presentations as part of their act, I was itching to see how Gabbi would work this into her comedic style. It is safe to say, she did not disappoint.
From the moment Gabbi walked on stage and sat at her keyboard, I was hooked! Her unique style of observational and life experience comedy had me hanging on every cleverly constructed lyric. Not only are the songs witty and hilarious, but she also has the vocal chops and musical skills to match.
There is no topic too taboo for Gabbi. In one of the earlier numbers, she reflects on trying to teach her German Shepard to talk like the famous Bunny on TikTok, only to have him turn into a Nazi. There is a song about dating with an underlying message of feminism and unashamedly borrows a line from the musical, Hamilton. A love song dedicated to the one and only Andrew Garfield and featuring Stanley Tucci that cheekily references Australian political media. I mean, how can you not be infatuated with these two beautiful humans? I too adore Stanley Tucci, but especially Andrew Garfield. Obsessed.
There is a brilliant relatable song about working in retail that involved some crowd work, and even a track that highlights how easy it is to become a police officer in Australia compared to other professions. Every number was hilarious, clever and on topic for the current political climate. There are even constant reminders throughout the show for Gabbi to drink water. I mean, every artist needs to stay hydrated during a show, and Gabbi took this very normal task and cleverly created little pockets of hilarity to break up her performance.
Writing music is already hard enough, but to do so with a comedic flair is a feat not many would be able to pull off. Gabbi Bolt achieves this with ease. She is very connected to the current climate and flawlessly writes these topics into her musical comedic style. However, Gabbi is far from serious, she is bubbly, kind and witty with her delivery. Whilst I was sitting in the front row, I could sense the overall happy vibe of the room, and in the moments that I did look around, every member of the crowd had a smile on their face that was as big as Gabbi’s.
It is hard to believe that this is only her second ever Melbourne International Comedy Festival run. And for the first timers, this performance could easily be mistaken for Gabbi Bolt having been on the circuit for years. If anything, she’s only just getting started!
One thing that I did note was that Gabbi was wearing these fantastic Odd Sock earrings that I was hoping to be able to obtain after the show. Sadly, they were not available when I attended, but they are available at the rest of the festival run. Looks like I will just have to return to see the show again! Not only for the merch, but to experience this fantastic show one more time.
Gabbi Bolt is a super talented and clever musical comedian that has quickly caught my heart with her wit, talent, and class. But also for our shared love of Andrew Garfield. Girl has taste.
Gabbi Bolt’s Odd Sock is on now at Melbourne’s The Butterfly Club as part of the 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. There is a show every night at 7pm right up until Sunday, the 23rd of April. So really, there is no excuses for you to miss this show! Stop by after work or make it your first stop of the night before you head out to see more fantastic show. However, what you do it, make sure you see this!
For more information on Gabbi Bolt and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/2023/shows/gabbi-bolt-odd-sock
https://www.gabbibolt.com
https://www.instagram.com/gabbiboltofficial
https://www.facebook.com/GabbiBoltOfficial
https://www.tiktok.com/@fettuccinefettuqueen