Something for Kate
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Friday May 24, 2013
Photo by David Reid
flickr.com/photos/davidonformosa
When I heard Something For Kate were doing a national tour this year, I quickly texted some old friends who are fond of this classic Australian band, asking whether we should buy tickets for their concert at the Forum theatre, Melbourne. However, we got excited at the idea of seeing them in a smaller, more intimate venue, and ditched the Forum and went for Castlemaine instead.
I didn’t know Something for Kate until I met my wife (she also got me hooked into Radiohead—but as my musical knowledge expanded, we often argue about who has better taste in music). Aside from their use of science analogies, Paul’s unique guitar chords and interesting time signatures really impressed me.
For this tour, Paul Dempsey and the crew are joined by talented local artist, Courtney Barnett—she has already won the hearts of many avid listeners of quality music and recently received a nomination for APRA song of the year for her track "History Eraser". Although I had heard her name before, and dug up some of her tunes, I didn’t want to build up my expectations for her performance. To be frank, I was rather sceptical of her hipster look and said to myself: here we go, this will be another post-rock/ garage band no doubt including a xylophone and weird lyrics.
I didn’t know Something for Kate until I met my wife (she also got me hooked into Radiohead—but as my musical knowledge expanded, we often argue about who has better taste in music). Aside from their use of science analogies, Paul’s unique guitar chords and interesting time signatures really impressed me.
For this tour, Paul Dempsey and the crew are joined by talented local artist, Courtney Barnett—she has already won the hearts of many avid listeners of quality music and recently received a nomination for APRA song of the year for her track "History Eraser". Although I had heard her name before, and dug up some of her tunes, I didn’t want to build up my expectations for her performance. To be frank, I was rather sceptical of her hipster look and said to myself: here we go, this will be another post-rock/ garage band no doubt including a xylophone and weird lyrics.
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But her performance at the Theatre Royal, Castlemaine made the old adage “don’t judge a book by its cover” ring true. Standing comfortably on the stage and encircled by three guys who could be mistaken for Spinal Tap and science fiction fanatics, Courtney Barnett’s much talked-up hit, "Lance Jr." caught the attention of even those people who were hanging around the bar. Her husky voice, clean and rhythmic strumming and humorous lyrics combined perfectly. Of the songs from her EP I’ve got a friend called Emily Ferris, "Porcelain" is my favourite. The song uses a simple minor chord with a controlled strumming as a substitute for the jangly riffs featured in her other songs.
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Somehow this song reveals a different layer of her as a talented musician: blending her dry voice with a folk-style melody.
Courtney departed the stage and left a great impression on the audience, but it also signalled that our wait to see Something for Kate would soon be over.
The sound of the crowd clapping and chanting filled up the historical building as Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth and Clint Hyndman entered the stage. The blaring sound of their first song "Captain" (Elsewhere for Eight Minutes 1997), with its heavy distorted riff, made a formal introduction unnecessary. This nostalgic hit could have been better with a well-controlled sound system. Paul’s distinctive high-pitch vocal was slightly submerged in the noise of his guitar and Clint’s powerful drum sound, but the mix improved towards the end.
Courtney departed the stage and left a great impression on the audience, but it also signalled that our wait to see Something for Kate would soon be over.
The sound of the crowd clapping and chanting filled up the historical building as Paul Dempsey, Stephanie Ashworth and Clint Hyndman entered the stage. The blaring sound of their first song "Captain" (Elsewhere for Eight Minutes 1997), with its heavy distorted riff, made a formal introduction unnecessary. This nostalgic hit could have been better with a well-controlled sound system. Paul’s distinctive high-pitch vocal was slightly submerged in the noise of his guitar and Clint’s powerful drum sound, but the mix improved towards the end.
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As the night went on, a number of songs from their earlier albums were played, such as "Anarchitect" (Elsewhere for Eight Minutes), "Electricity" (Beautiful Sharks, 1999) and "Monsters" (Echolalia, 2001; see the video below), which chuffed loyalist fans. I was surprised that they didn’t play some tracks that would have electrified a great concert vibe, such as "Working Against Me", "Pinstripe", and "Three Dimensions" but they sang some solid songs such as "The Astronaut" (Beautiful Sharks), and "California" (Desert Lights, 2006). Some material from their new album was included in the set list ("Miracle Cure", "Back to Normal", "Survival Expert" and "Star-Crossed Citizens" -my least favourite song). Two songs with a unique tempo transition, "Private Rain" and "The Fireball at the End of Everything" showed how mature Something For Kate have become, particularly in their finding of a new sound without getting carried away with the hype of indie music. Towards the end Clint and Steph left the stage, leaving Paul and the supporting band member, John to entertain us. With his acoustic guitar, Paul delivered a beautiful composition with strong lyrics "Light at the End of the Tunnel" (The Official Fiction, 2003). Particularly surprising was the band’s rendition of Calvin Harris and Florence Welch’s "Sweet Nothing". The first time I heard them playing this song, I was not sure whether they could do justice to the original. Not that I am a big fan of Calvin Harris’ stuff, but Florence’s powerful voice is really hard to match. I was wrong. Something for Kate did a great cover of the song. Paul’s high-pitched voice crescendoed just right, replacing the building tension of the electronic sound in the original (watch the video of them performing this in the Triple J studios below). The show ended with "Déjà Vu" (The Official Fiction)—a good way to conclude this fantastic live performance.
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I experienced this show like the journey of a relationship. I went to see Something for Kate with a bunch of good friends who used to live together with my wife-to-be for a while in inner northern Melbourne. This show got them back together to share their common interest in good quality music. I guess this journey can also be seen in Something for Kate’s connection with their loyal fans. The band has been around for nearly two decades. After a 6 year hiatus, they have come back to rekindle their relationship with their fans with whom they have a shared interest of good music.
Citu Permadi Something for Kate are currently on tour. View the dates here. |
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Photo by David Reid flickr.com/photos/davidonformosa
Photo by David Reid flickr.com/photos/davidonformosa
Courtney Barnett image by Pedro Xavier, courtesy of thedwarf.com.au