Something for Kate are one of Australia’s favourite sons (and daughters) of thought provoking rock and roll. With complex, wordy, analytic lyrics and strong and robust, yet restrained arrangements, they have built up a loyal following that has stood by them for two decades, culminating in Friday night’s sell out show at The Gov.
Slowly Slowly are adept at big melodic rock hooks. With an early 2000s emo element the band has some heartfelt lyrical content. The soft and heavy transitions are well paced and measured and the songs build very well. The sincerity and live professionalism of the band auger well for their future.
Something for Kate’s music, despite the lyrical finesse, can actually be quite relentless, hard rocking and intense. This is something that struck me as they launched into their set with an energy that almost touched on hard rock. The dense layered clean or lightly overdriven guitars provided an abrasiveness which was unyielding, yet somewhat sophisticated and measured. Their workman like attitude saw them rolling from song into song without waiting for applause.
Yet, when Paul Dempsey addresses the crowd, his natural wit and charisma is on display and it reinforces how much of that is in his lyrics and how that forms the cornerstone of what gives Something for Kate their character. Dempsey’s voice still sounds very smooth and the gravelly notes really pop out beautifully. With pared back acoustic songs his voice shines the most. Cigarettes and Suitcases sounded fantastic live with Paul’s voice really squeezing out every drop of emotion in the chorus. Classic anthem Electricity shone through with the signature chorus riff and vocal refrain.
The most memorable part of this set was the power cutting out to the microphones and amps and Paul, standing on a table singing A capella to a captivated crowd. This is a moment that will be remembered by music fans in the room for the rest of their lives and all assembled can thanks the stars they were lucky enough to witness it.
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