Photo: Mark Marin

An evening of all Australian music starts off with Danielle Caruana and her three-piece band, Mama Kin. The heavily driven piano songs are backed with infectious drum lines and complemented by Danielle’s strong, soulful voice. Although bare, there is plenty of passion in the performance and these guys clearly enjoy what they do.

Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes follow and immediately take us back to the swinging ‘40s. With a six-piece band behind them, the three back-up singers, the Bangin’ Rackettes, match Clairy Browne’s every note with perfect harmonies and choreographed dance moves. There is clearly a lot of energy on stage, but occasionally this energy is lost somewhere between the musicians and the crowd. Nonetheless, these soulful and swinging acts are setting the night up beautifully.

The Cat Empire struts on stage and dive right into Falling, from their latest album Cinema. Typical Harry Angus songs – The Heart Is A Cannibal and The Darkness – have him contorting his voice every which way, resonating throughout The Tivoli and piercing every ear in the sold out room in the process.  The boys delve back into album number one with How To Explain, The Wine Song and of course, standard set finisher, The Chariot. They certainly don’t miss with the solos tonight: Ollie McGill is playing the hell out of his piano (as usual), even with a broken wrist (although we can probably do without the 10 minute solo from DJ Jumps). Being show number two in Brisbane amidst a succession of sold-out dates, this reasonably mature crowd has come ready to dance their Saturday night away, and these Cats prove happy to oblige.

RICHARD COOMBS

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