The Cat Empire
with the Custom Kings
» The Cat Empire announce new CD/ DVD release, tour dates - January 30, 2009
» WOMADelaide 2009 - Botanic Park, SA - March 8, 2009
» Sunset Sounds - River Stage (City Botanic Gardens), QLD - January 7, 2009
» The Cat Empire - Sanguine Solitude - October 4, 2007
» The Cat Empire - Moorilla Estate, Tas - December 3, 2006
» Summer Has Arrived - The Cats Are In Town - Forum, The, Vic - December 1, 2006
Why did I agree to do this review?. I want to go to Cog. I love Cog. I don’t even like The Cat Empire. How the hell has this annoying six piece glorified brass band with its pseudo South American sound made it to number 24 in BRW’s Australia’s 50 Richest Entertainers list for 2004, ahead of Jet and JBT? How? Why do masses of seemingly intelligent people with otherwise good taste in music appear to worship the ground on which the Cat Empire walks? And why, a couple of days before the show, has the notoriously frustrating leave-buying-our-tickets-until-the-last-minute Hobart crowd bought every last remaining ticket? Why?
Sunday 8th May 2005, 4.30pm
I had skillfully and successfully managed to avoid seeing The Cat Empire at the last two Falls Festivals due to my intense dislike of them. I’d always felt that having more than four members in a band was just superfluous. Running late, due in part to a distinct lack of enthusiasm, I arrived at the energy-filled venue to find the punters at City Hall going off to the jazz/hip hop sounds of the Custom Kings. I don’t think I’d ever seen City Hall so packed. The hyped up crowd was jumping to the sounds of the Melbourne support band and all in the room were well and truly primed and ready for their beloved Cat Empire to take to the stage.
After a short break, the Cat Empire made their way out to thunderous applause. After their intro, they burst into their hit, “Hello”, a song which I’ve always found annoying when I hear it on the J’s. However, to my surprise, I found myself dancing. Yeah, I danced. The crowd danced. We all danced. And we jumped too. All 1,800 or so sweaty punters danced and jumped for the next couple of hours, as did the band. Today my calf muscles lay testament to this, as they are so sore that I can barely walk.
After “Hello”, they went on to play a bunch of songs from the new album, Two Shoes, and threw in a few songs from their first album as well.
Personal Highlight Number 1 - Felix sliding down the stair rail on the left of stage, almost landing on me.
Personal Highlight Number 2 - One of the guys from Custom Kings began singing “Roxanne”, leaving the crowd wanting more.
Personal Highlight Number 3 - The boys’ synchronised dance moves. Nice.
The low point was when the Cat Empire sang “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”. I wasn’t worried actually. I was happy. In fact, I think I was in the midst of an epiphany. I never did like that song and I didn’t appreciate having my epiphanous state interrupted by this annoyingly lazy, unexpected and unwelcome tune.
At the end of their lengthy set which ebbed and flowed from high energy to beautiful subtle, floaty, cruisy moods, the Cat Empire left the stage for what felt like an eternity before returning for the obligatory encore. The crowd, pounding their feet on the floorboards, enticing the band back out before them, lapped up their cover of Paul Kelly’s “Dumb Things”.
So, I’m converted. Today I am a Cat Empire fan. I get them now. It appears that the key to loving the Cat Empire is to catch them live where you can feel their uplifting energy. It is infectious and simply can’t be understood if you've only ever heard them on the radio. I certainly won’t be avoiding them at the next Falls Festival.
