Live Report: Jeffrey Martin welcomed with open arms at intimate Whelan's gig

The moment I walked into Whelan’s, I was faced with a deep sense of community. Everywhere you looked, people were bonding over a pint and their favourite Jeffrey Martin songs, as if they were family.

While the venue was alive with murmurs and excitement, the moment support acts Mark Erelli and Dinty Child walked on the stage and tuned their guitars, the room went silent. Like moths drawn to a flame, the crowd made its way from the bar to the front of the stage.

Though the Boston singers have co-written a number of songs during their 12-year friendship, performing live together is a rare treat. Had they not said anything, no one would have guessed it wasn't a usual thing. The duo’s chemistry was evident, with their guitars and voices harmoniously complementing each other. Their set was well-curated, balancing upbeat, faster-paced tracks such as ‘The Morning’ and ‘History of the Future’ with slower, moodier songs like ‘Look Up’ and ‘Winning at Solitaire’.

The highlight of their set was the last track the duo shared. Co-written with friend Peter Mulvey, the song was purposefully performed for the first time that night, as when they were writing it, they decided that it needed to be played at an Irish pub. And for those few moments when the crowd sang along to the chorus, it's as if we were transported into the Whelan's bar next door.

Mark Erelli and Dinty Child supporting Jeffrey Martin at Whelans on January 29 2026. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/hotpress.com

The Oregon-based folk singer performed tracks from his most recent album, Thank God We Left The Garden (2023), as well as songs from previous records. Once he started to sing and play his guitar, the air in the room shifted. His voice, with its subtle nuances, poignant lyrics, and his delicate and rhythmic guitar playing, hypnotised onlookers.

From Thank God We Left The Garden, Martin performed  ‘Garden’, ‘Paper Crown’, and ‘There is a Treasure’. Between the tracks, the singer shared funny anecdotes, as well as the inspiration behind some of his lyrics. From one moment to the next, he could switch from nonchalantly chatting to his fans like old-time friends, to singing so intimately close to the microphone and moving along with the music, every word piercing through him.

Jeffrey Martin at Whelans on January 29 2026. Copyright Maizy Kharrazian/hotpress.com

Before performing ‘Walking’, Martin shared that it was composed during the Covid years, after some experimentation. The singer bought a Casio keyboard, intending to write an electronic album, and a pair of rollerblades. In Martin's words, the electronic record was not a success, but the evenings that he spent listening to it, with the aid of some mushrooms and rollerskating, led to the creation of the peaceful and melancholic track ‘Walking’.

Martin also played ‘Billy Burroughs’, the intimate ‘Coal Fire’, and ‘Checkers’, the last of which was inspired by Irish singer-songwriter Mick Flannery's Night At The Opera, and sparked laughter in the crowd as they sang the chorus "I'm a checkers playing gutter bitch". The musician also performed the not-so-hopeful, romantic track ‘Thrift Store Dress’, which features lyrics like: "I've got that far away sadness behind my eyes again. "

Even though Martin admitted that he doesn't like to talk politics, his performance referenced the negative view that many hold of his country at the moment. Before singing ‘Quiet Man‘, Martin shared that the track is about the depth that each of us has, something important to keep in mind with what's going on in his native US right now.

The apex of Martin's performance was ‘Red Station Wagon’. Powerful and intense, the track reflected on discrimination, hatred and ignorance, accompanied by Martin's message that there are a lot of good people in the US who are responding to and fighting against oppression.

To end his set, Martin invited Mark Erelli and Dinty Child back on stage to accompany him on guitar and vocals in a rendition of Neil Young's ‘One of These Days’.  They all left the stage, however, after much persuasion from his fans, Martin returned performing ‘Sculpture’, a poignant and sorrowful track. With the song's notes still lingering in the air and the crowd cheering, Martin made his way off the stage, bringing his soul-stirring performance to an end.