The Cat Empire have been a staple of the Australian music scene since the release of their 2x platinum self-titled debut album in the early 2000s, and have gone on to release a ridiculous amount of well-loved genre-bending music. They are a staple of the festival circuit, and they’ve built themselves a reputation for having one of the best live shows on offer. The first time I saw the band live was at Byron Bay Bluesfest 2011 at a packed-out festival stage on my 12th birthday, and it is one of my most treasured memories. I’ve them another 5 times throughout my teen years and early adult life, including their final show with the original band members (also at Bluesfest) in 2022. The Cat Empire’s show always felt both intimate and immense; you could feel the tight energy that only comes with years playing together and anticipating each others musical instincts; there was a dynamic element created by the contrast between the ideas of the two frontmen Felix and Harry; there was an organic nature to the song sections set aside for band members to improvise.
But The Cat Empire underwent a huge change in 2022, saying goodbye to much of the band: drummer Will Hull-Brown, bassist Ryan Monro, DJ and percussionist Jamshid “DJ Jumps” Khadiwala, and one of their two frontmen: vocalist and trumpeter Harry James Angus.
Now fronted by just Felix Riebl, the band is made up of one other remaining OG member Ollie McGill, and new members bassist Grace Barbe, trumpeter Lazaro Numa, brass players Ross Irwin and Kieran Conrau, drummer Daniel Farrugia, and percussionist Neda Rahmani.
As I headed in to see the The Cat Empire at the Fortitude Music Hall with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra, seeing them for the first time since the monumental change, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was it going to feel like something was missing? Was it going to feel like a sort of Cat Empire covers band or tribute show? Were the new songs going to feel like a pastiche of their old discography?
The Fortitude Music Hall was sold out, and the room was filled with people of all ages - many wearing Cat Empire t-shirts from past tours or festivals the band had played. The air was buzzing with anticipation. The stage had been extended forwards into the crowd to accomodate the orchestra, and I got the feeling that many of the attendees were also seeing the new lineup for the first time.
First, the orchestra members and conductor Vanessa Scammell entered the stage, and we held our breath while they tuned. The orchestra began to build tension with a tremolo of strings, the core band entered the stage met with roaring applause, and the orchestra broke into a series of overlapping melodies - a medley of classic Cat Empire songs and riffs from across the years, blended throughout soaring re-harmonised arrangements by brass player Ross Irwin. There was a palatable air of drama from the moment the music started, and this perfectly set the tone for what was to come.
Before I could blink, the medley transformed into the iconic song ‘How To Explain’ - always a crowd favourite - and we chanted along “music is the language of us all! Music is the language of us all!”. We were treated to a trumpet solo from Lazaro Numa, before flamenco dance and guitar from the group Arte Kanela, made up of Chantelle Coco and Johnny Tedesco tap-dancing, and accomplished flamenco guitarist Richard Tedesco. The arrangement transitioned into a percussion breakdown featuring Neda Rahmani, who also treated us to her vocals later in the set - she’s a HUGE stage presence in her own right- there was an entirely new song section added to the classic with Grace Barbe’s soulful vocals carrying the melody. Felix Riebl was the rock that held all the wild elements together, taking different roles across the stage from vocals, to percussion, to picking up an 8-string guitar tuned to octaves similar to what we usually see on the more-common 12-string. I felt as if I was a child at a carnival, stumbling through a maze of attractions in awe.
The new arrangements of the old classic tunes could not have been done better in my opinion. It never felt like the new members were trying to imitate or live up to the dynamic of the original lineup - each song was played with a new spin that felt like it honoured its roots, but gave space to the new members to showcase their unique musicianship. The vibe was so distinctly different - this show felt like a collective of artists coming together to put on a carefully crafted spectacle, built for big stages and wow-factor. The band and orchestra did this incredibly well, and Ross Irwin deserves a special shoutout for his arrangements and musical direction in pulling that off.
The new songs were another point of curiosity for me going into this show, and I have to say they translated incredibly well to the live context. The Cat Empire released their first album with the new lineup Where The Angels Fall in 2023, and I’ll admit the songs in studio form didn’t grab me the same way the songwriting of the OG lineup did (queue Regurgitator’s ‘I Like Your Old Stuff Better Than Your New Stuff’). However, in the live context they really grooved and got crowd dancing and clapping along; I see the tunes in a different light now, and that is the magic of a good live show. One moment that stuck with me was try story behind ‘Be With You Again’; a song for Felix’s late brother, who passed away from brain cancer. The performance was incredibly moving, and was followed by older tune ‘Miserere’ which featured Max on the record before he passed. The band have another album on the way for 2025, which has a few singles out already. The crowd already new the words, and there was an air of excitement for what’s to come amongst the fans.
In summary, for anyone wondering if it’s worth going to see the new iteration of The Cat Empire, my answer is a resounding “yes”. It is not an imitation of the OG experience, and if you’re after a replication of what once was, you will certainly be disappointed. But if you keep an open mind, you’ll be swept up in the drama and spectacle of a group of incredibly skilled musicians crafting an eclectic fusion of sounds.
Photos by Robert Hume
Comments