Photos: Jason Rosewarne.
Last night at Collingwood’s Gasometer Hotel, a large crowd of Melbourne music fans, musicians and family gathered to help singer, songwriter guitarist Kathleen Halloran launch her debut single ‘Free With Me’ from her soon to be released debut album. The girl’s come a long way. We caught Kathleen just a week ago playing in front of 10,000 people at Mornington racecourse in her role as guitarist for Kate Ceberano.
Anastasia Comarin (with 3-piece band) opened tonight displaying a beautiful voice and said Kathleen has been teaching her guitar and has been a wonderful mentor. Anastasia did a wonderful cover of No Doubt’s Just A Girl.
Another Australian Musician mag Musician of the Month, Zevon Lee played next in his hometown of Melbourne tonight. Zevon is a talented guitarist whose soulful voice delivered a thoroughly enjoyable blend of blues, soul and funk on his newer material to warm up the crowd. Zevon allowed each band member to shine with a short solo and bass player Yuri Pavlinov in particular was getting into the spirit of the night.
Legendary Australian singer Kate Ceberano (Kathleen Halloran’s boss!) took to the Gaso stage to introduce the talented musician as a hard working innovator and said that she hopes from tonight, Kathleen’s world will never be the same again. More than just a launch for her debut single, it was indeed one of those moments where a career was being launched.
When Australian Musician was co-producing the Melbourne Guitar Show, Rob Walker introduced Kathleen to the guitar community as a young teen. Including her in the end of show jam along with Mal Eastick, Dennis Jones (USA), Pete Robinson, Michael Spiby (Badloves), James Ryan and more, Kathleen told us in her Musician of the Month interview, that she was terrified at that moment but it taught her so much and embedded her permanently into the Melbourne musician family.
Tonight, every step she has taken to get here has been hard-earned and calculated and it was finally Kathleen Halloraon’s time to shine in her own right. Backed by an incredible band featuring Clayton Doley on organ, Darryn Farrugia on drums, Ross Irwin, sax and guitar, Tiaryn on piano, and Jonathon Zion on bass, Kathleen came out with all guns blazing laying an Eddie Van Halen-style tapping feast upon us to kick off the show.
After song two Kathleen told us that she was finally able to open her eyes and view her wonderful friends, telling us it was already the best night of her life. “I can feel the excitement up to here,” she says indicating the top of her throat. “It could be tears, it could be spew!”
This was a rock show like I haven’t experienced for some time, with a band feeding off each other and delivering a thrilling performance. During an original ‘I Am Hunted’ (I believe it’s called but could be wrong), Kathleen utilised a wonderful guitar sound, featuring classic rock tones which she has made her own.
Introducing ‘You Got The Wrong Girl’, Kathleen tells us that the song follows a theme throughout the upcoming album of breaking out of a box and being who she wants. The song itself is a wonderful slow burning blues track, tonight embellished by Clayton’s heartfelt Hammond organ playing. The tune also highlights Halloran’s soulful vocal delivery as well as her searing guitar licks.
Slinging on a Maton acoustic guitar Kathleen, brought producer Ross Irwin to the stage on trumpet as she dedicated a wonderful ballad ‘The Cost of Living, a song about a musician’s life to her family, many of whom were in the crowd tonight.
Announcing that the next song she stole from Kate Ceberano, who used to sing it, Kathleen and band then performed a stunning version of Blind Faith’s ‘Can’t Find My Way Home’, a highlight of the night. Featuring Ross Irwin’s stylish trumpet and Clayton’s classy keyboard lines, the song really came to life with the whole band jamming through to a climaxed ending.
Next up ’Stolen Night’ a gorgeous, newly recorded ballad that Kathleen had not performed live until now. At the pointy end of the evening it was time to debut the fab new single ‘Free With Me’ to the hometown crowd but not before thanking everyone should could remember. Of course the crowd wouldn’t allow Kathleen to get away with no encore, as she returned.
Finishing up with ’Showstopper’ another self-penned rocker, proved that the trajectory of Kathleen Halloraon’s music career is locked into an ever-increasing rise that we don’t see stopping anytime soon.
