Cat Clyde and John Cragie Live
Georges Lane, St. Kilda 14-3-2024
Festival time in Australia and the gigs are happening thick and fast all around me. Cat Clyde and John Cragie are visiting our sunburnt country for the first time and here they are on a double bill just around the corner from home.
Cat Clyde entered my aural orbit in 2023 although she had been releasing music since about 2017. Clyde hails from north of the dumpster fire that is the USA up Ontario, Canada way.
Perched on a stool with two guitars handy, Clyde soon had the crowd hushed to almost silence when she began to sing. That distinct voice caught my ear when I heard her “Down Rounder” record in 2023. It made my ears stick up like a dog hearing the word “bacon”. Sitting only a few feet from her, I looked around and everyone was mesmerized and excited by this young woman’s talent.
Clyde explained she normally played with a band and she had not played these songs solo in some time but that it was nice to take them back to where they started. My mind wandered and I look forward to the day when we get to hear her with a group of musicians.
Clyde talked about being in Australia and the animals she encountered and her amazement and being freaked out by our “fruit bats”. Later that night she was catching some rest in the van and she felt like there was an animal in the vehicle with her. She imagined it was one of the fruit bats, but it was just a moth. A very large moth. I assume someone has told her about our terrible drop bears.
“Not Going Back”, “Papa Took My Totems”, and “Hawk In The Tree” were all simply stunning. Going beyond stunning was “I Feel It”. Here is some of that tune below.
And just a little bit more Cat….
This Cat is going roaming with another songstress/musician Sierra Ferrell in April in the USA for 8 dates. She is going to get so much more exposure and she deserves it. Stardom may be in her future but I know more beautiful music will be in ours from her no matter which way the so-called career goes.
They have a few more shows in Australia in March so if you have the chance and can get a ticket do not miss this double bill.
In between sets people milled around and outside folks were talking music as they do. It seemed most of the audience had come for Mr. Cragie. I had not dipped my toes into his musical ocean yet so I was looking forward to his performance. Everyone had very positive things to say.
I was set up perfectly for Mr. Cragie and his take on folk music and a firm grip on what entertainment is. The stories and the songs flowed off the stage like a coffee house from years gone past. Advising us he had a skill he was born with Cragie proceeded to introduce “I Wrote Mr. Tambourine Man” displaying his talent of singing like Bob Dylan on Nashville Skyline. He said it’s a wonderful talent if “Lay Lady Lay” is on the playlist at a karaoke bar.
His songs are wry and dry and distinctively his. Someone compared him to John Prine before the show and I said that if he is like Handsome Johnny he best be funny too. Damn, he ticked that box as the applause and laughter came in equal doses from the standing-room-only crowd.
If you came for Cat or if you came for John, I am sure you are now a fan of both of these performers. Love Police brings some amazing talent to our shores, let’s hope these two can make it back for Out On The Weekend next year in Williamstown. BT are you listening?
Now it is time for me to catch up on the catalog of John Cragie so I am as up-to-date with his art as I am with Ms. Clydes. Let’s go ears!
ADIOS!