REVIEW: Daffo: Live at The Masquerade (Altar) - ATL
- Magali Rivera
- 7 hours ago
- 2 min read
The singer/songwriter's widespread acclaim continues in Atlanta
Daffo is the alternative, introspective brainchild of Gabi Gamberg. Though the singer-songwriter is only 21 years old, they have a long list of accomplishments already behind them. They opened up for some big names last year including Wednesday and Blondshell, and constantly get comparisons drawn between them and Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief.
The indie rock/folk dealings of Daffo were brought to an excited audience at The Masquerade’s Altar stage on January 28th, and left all enraptured.
Gamberg grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, taking up guitar and songwriting at a young age. Later, they gained a formal education in music and have only continued to grow their talent and career since. They rose in prominence from Pest, their 2023 EP with breakout single “Poor Madeline”. After some years of putting out music, Daffo released their moving debut record, Where the Earth Bends, on September 26, 2025, sealing their place in the alternative music scene.
The audience at the Atlanta show last week was quite animated from the beginning. The opener, earth 2 tiffany, primed the crowd with an impressive acoustic set that included a cover of Jeff Buckley’s “Forget Her” and sweet exchanges with eager fans. Despite some brief technical difficulties, Daffo came out, full force, launching into “Get a Life,” the first track from their new album.
Fans jumped and screamed as Daffo continued to play into their discography, including notable songs like “Absence Makes the Heart Grow” and “Collector.” The latter is an astonishing expression of discomfort masqueraded as a soft, inviting track at the start. Each song seemed to hold more weight and emotion being played live by Gamberg, in the precise way they did.
Daffo is a gripping act that is a pleasure to witness grow. The members of the band seem to have great chemistry with one another and a true love for the music they play each night. Gabi Gamberg’s songwriting and yodel-like vocal twang are both touchingly sad with an unexpected beauty to them, making for a unique gift which new fans will surely continue to flock toward.
Article and photos by Magali Rivera. Please credit @magliriver or @art.seen.atl if reposting on social media.
