The Cat Empire @ Waterfront
A joyous atmosphere
As an A2 student with exams getting closer by the second, reality can sometimes get a bit stressful and boring. On the other hand, when a band like The Cat Empire announce a tour date in your home town, reality seems that little less hard.
With weather gorgeously hot to the point where I can almost taste summer on my tongue, entering the Waterfront on this lovely Wednesday evening (with two of my best friends) was already a great start to the night.
First up are Melbourne boys Pierce Brothers, two dreadlock dancing lads with happiness oozing from their presence. Their Mumford and Sons country rock mash style isn't really my cup of tea to be honest, but I can appreciate why people like them. What I did like was their playful use of the digeridoo, as it added to their down to earth set. A bit lacklustre from the crowd but for a weekday evening what can I expect.
Well, what I certainly didn't expect was incredibly high energy, people on shoulders and an actual fight. As The Cat Empire bound onto stage gleaming with joy, I can't help but feel they're like a warm and friendly Australian family that have come round for dinner. A mix of ska, jazz, Latin, Mexican, reggae, rock and much more, this collective have it all under their belts. A lot of songs reminded me of the Little Big Planet soundtrack (a PS3 game where a little Sackboy travels through exotic worlds), the band as a whole transport me to lost lands, their occasional pause for Mexican fanfares from the trumpets echoing through the Waterfront. From the beginning the crowds energy is very high and intense, getting a little too much when a fight breaks out half way through Prophets in The Sky. What's commendable and refreshing is that The Cat Empire don't ignore this, they stop and tell the audience that "this isn't that kind of show" and spread a message of happiness and toleration to us all. And away we go with the rest of the set. Two Shoes including a savage improv drum solo that could challenge Damien Chazelle's Whiplash any day. Highlight of the evening is quite definitely The Wine Song and The Chariot, the cheeky chaps coming back on for an trumpet filled encore that quite simply smashes it, everyone in the crowd jumping high and singing loud.
Anyone at The Cat Empire this evening cannot deny the joyous atmosphere circulating the venue. What's great is that experiencing them live is quite different to just hearing them on record, and gives another great layer to their music. Whether a fan of this genre or not, if you have a chance to see them live definitely do - not only will it improve your mood and mindset in the short term, but also leave you with a long term feeling of happiness that will hopefully stick in the back of your mind for the foreseeable future.
