Report: Greg Phillips. Photos: Jason Rosewarne.
Humans have been performing some form of music for thousands of years. In fact, evidence of musical performance dates back to the Paleolithic period, using bones to create beats. In medieval times, musicians, poets and storytellers traveled between towns and courts, entertaining crowds. The 17th and 18th centuries saw the rise of professional vocalists, the birth of opera, and the establishment of the orchestra. In the 19th century concerts shifted from private aristocratic settings to public halls. By the 20th century, radio and phonographs significantly spurred concert activity. The connection between music performance and an audience is an ancient experience. We love being entertained by musicians.
At some point in modern day society, the business world butted in and created the entertainment industry. Chart positions, ticket sales and an artist’s image became more important than the music. Of course, all along, many artists were still performing their music brilliantly on stages but from the music industry perspective, the consumption of the artist’s product was the main goal.
When MTV introduced their Unplugged series in 1989, suddenly the focus of the music world was drawn back to the song rather than production. For an artist playing without any bells and whistles, there’s nowhere to hide, you’re relying totally on your ability to translate your music to an audience via your craft, not through lighting design, audio samples or background visuals. Sadly, the MTV concept faded by the 2000’s as MTV turned it’s focus to reality TV, the antithesis of what made Unplugged work in the first place.
To cut a long story short and get to the point … Cat Empire constituents, vocalist/musician Felix Riebl, pianist Ollie McGill and flamenco guitarist Richard Tedesco know a thing or two about entertaining, travelling the world and spreading joy to audiences of all sizes. It’s a job they do with a great deal of gratitude and the audience connection is the number one reward they attain from the profession. It was with this ethos in mind that Riebl, Tedesco and McGill decided to form a new project, one based entirely on the pleasure of playing to an audience and having fun.
The project came out of the period of recording The Cat Empire’s Bird in Paradise album, where once the tape had stopped rolling, the performance bug didn’t. So Felix, Ollie and Richard would move to a room upstairs and simply jam and enjoy themselves. On Wednesday 6th of May, the trio quietly launched their new project and delivered their stripped-back live performance magic to a few family members, friends and a handful of very fortunate media people including Australian Musician magazine. The premiere event took place not in a venue but in Felix’s own inner city apartment, playing to perhaps 20 or so adults and a dozen or more children.
As the invite stated, “Across decades of musical exploration, the trio brings together songwriting, virtuosic musicianship and deep storytelling into a stripped-back, highly personal live experience. The set weaves together original material with reimagined selections from The Cat Empire catalogue, including deep cuts, revealing these songs in a way they’ve never been heard before. Created specifically for intimate, non-traditional spaces, this project steps away from the scale of The Cat Empire’s usual rooms and instead invites audiences into something closer, more immediate, and quietly electric.”
Beginning with the Cat Empire’s Latin-flavoured song ‘Blackout Blues’, the opening performance featured Ollie’s dynamic piano playing, Felix’s heartfelt vocal and Richard’s command of flamenco guitar. Loud whoops and hollers followed from the small but rowdy crowd. The room ambience was incredible and the music contagious. On the piano, McGill becomes an extension of the instrument, feeling every note as he nods, grimaces and smiles at his keyboard accomplishments and the connection to his fellow musicians. The ease in which Tedesco plucks the strings and navigates the fretboard is something to behold and of course Felix just exudes happiness.
‘Going To Live’, written by Felix Riebl and Cristina Recio Lafuente, explores themes of freedom and escapism or as Richard Tedesco suggested “it’s a song about when everything goes to shit, you just keep going.” Although this is a Cat Empire song which has been played to audiences of thousands in arenas, on this night it suited Felix’s inner city pad perfectly giving it a Spanish cafe vibe. The only thing missing was a pair of flamenco dancers, although one couple in the corner of the room, having a private moment, gave it a good crack.
Between songs, Felix filled us in on why the trio was created. He recalled having to create fake id’s to get into clubs when he was younger as there were so many venues in Melbourne and the music excited him so much. He wanted to recapture that feeling. “With Cat Empire we have a wonderful international touring career but we have a collective need to share what a live music experience is, which is normal but can be absolute magic as well,” he told us. “That is the purpose of this trio. We don’t have a social media profile, we have this!”
Felix conceded that at some point there may be a record, probably a live recording but at the moment, it’s not a priority. The prime concern is to get out and play, frills-free, bum notes and all. It’s totally about the human experience.
I was discussing the live music experience with another music journalist at the event and we agreed that some of our greatest live music experiences have not been watching the world’s biggest bands playing in sporting arenas, it’s the performers we have seen in smaller venues, where it’s just the artists, their instruments and an appreciative crowd. There’s something special about watching musicians playing real instruments on stage with no or minimal technological enhancement other than amplification and effect units compared to a stadium show where you don’t know what percentage of the show is actually being performed live and how much is playback tape. They are two separate worlds.
Hearing The Cat Empire’s ‘Devil’ played by this trio, with its gorgeous flamenco guitar intro by Richard Tedesco and an equally beautiful piano accompaniment from Ollie McGill was something that will stay with me for a long time. ‘Out Where You Are’ from Felix and Ollie’s Spinifex Gum/Maliya Choir project, was a highlight of the 2023 Bluesfest Byron Bay when we were fortunate to be present. On this night, the song was sublime, featuring a perfectly timed spontaneous breakout vocal moment from the kids on the front row couches. A dynamic version of the uplifting ‘Owl’ from the Where The Angels Fall album filled my heart with delight too. A proposed half hour set quickly stretched to 45 minutes due to the amount of fun being had by all involved. Turning to ‘Sparrow’ another track from the Bird in Paradise record, the song not only showcased Richard Tedseco’s mastery of the guitar but also his wonderful sense of space, drama and atmosphere. As the song built, Felix invited the audience to singalong. Participation and inclusion is what this project is all about. The result was a magical evening, a shared experience of music which will linger with the lucky few forever. Finally it was time to thank our gracious hosts and allow them to restore furniture settings to their daily living positions.
Riebl, Tedesco and McGill soon travel to Canada to lay their fresh, spontaneous brand of performance upon those lucky folk before returning to Australia and the Cat Empire mothership for some performances with orchestra, as well as a smattering of these wonderful Riebl, Tedesco and McGill gigs in smaller venues. When you hear that one is happening, don’t hesitate to get along and have the time of your life.
