Tag: The Cat Empire

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Pleasure Garden Ready to Bloom in St Kilda

The Cat Empire, Tash Sultana, The Correspondents, and Dub FX are among the big names set to entertain crowds at the first ever The Pleasure Garden Festival in St Kilda this December.

Much more than just another music festival, The Pleasure Garden aims to be an immersive creative arts experience, with roving theatrical performances, art installations, carnival rides, and plenty of shady places for kicking back with your friends.

The Pleasure Garden Festival hits Catani Gardens on St Kilda’s foreshore on December 10. Discounted early bird tickets are available until the end of the month. Head to The Pleasure Garden Festival website to get yours.

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Matt Corby Tops Albums Charts

Matt Corby fans have sent his long awaited debut album Telluric to the top of the ARIA charts this week. It’s his best chart result to date, after “Brother” peaked at number three and “Resolution” got to number five.

The Molly soundtrack is proving to have more staying power than most. It’s at number three this week, 16 weeks after its release. It’s also gone platinum.

Hilltop Hoods are also lingering in the charts, with Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung sitting at number five this week. The Adelaide hip hop act is also making their presence felt on the singles chart. “1955,” a track recorded with Montaigne and Tom Thum, is at number three. The Cat Empire’s new album Rising With the Sun, which like all these releases is also a former number one, now sits at number nine.

The singles charts has more of a local flavour than it usually does. “Never Be Like You” by Flume featuring Kai is at number seven, and Sia rounds out the top ten with “Cheap Thrills.”

Top 10 Albums
1. Telluric – Matt Corby
2. You and I – Jeff Buckley
3. Molly – Soundtrack 
4. 25 – Adele
5. Incarnate – Killswitch
6. Drinking From The Sun, Walking Under Stars Restrung – Hilltop Hoods
7. This Unruly Mess I’ve Made – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
8. Have It All (Live) – Bethel Music
9. Rising with the Sun – The Cat Empire
10. Purpose – Justin Bieber 

Top 10 Singles
1. “7 Years” – Lukas Graham
2. “Faded” – Alan Walker
3. “1955” – Hilltop Hoods feat. Montaigne & Tom Thum
4. “Stressed Out” – Twenty One Pilots
5. “One Call Away” – Charlie Puth
6. “Work From Home” – Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign
7. “Never be Like You” – Flume feat. Kai
8. “My House” – Flo Rida
9. “Hide Away” – Daya
10. “Cheap Thrills” – Sia

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire Releases Album for Asylum Seekers

The Cat Empire may be enjoying some time apart at the moment, but the band has joined forces with Tunes for Change to release Asylum. This selection of rare and unreleased songs from The Cat Empire and its side projects is available for the next few months only from the Tunes for Change website.

All monies raised by the release will benefit the Asylum Seeker Resource Center, Australia’s largest group advocating on the behalf of asylum seekers and protecting their human rights. The band hopes to raise $50, 000 for the charity.

The Cat Empire wants to make the album accessible to as many people as possible, so it’s asking people to donate $5 or more for it. If all you can spare is $5, that’s fine. But if you have more and you’re passionate about the cause, you can be more generous.

Image source: Stuart Sevastos @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Harry James Angus Goes Solo

The Cat Empire’s Harry James Angus is taking advantage of his band’s hiatus and releasing a solo album.

Little Stories will be released digitally on September 16 and in stores on October 10. It’s been a bit of a labour of love, with Harry spending the last three years penning the tracks.

“These little stories have provided me with hours of entertainment, just me in the lounge
room. Sometimes my long-suffering wife will patiently listen as I stumble through an idea, but usually it’s just me – laughing at my own jokes, lip trembling at my own tragedies, watching the characters come alive – and the whole story just unfurls, eventually, like a patchwork sail,” Harry said.

Harry James Angus will celebrate Little Stories’ release with a tour of the major capitals later this month.

8 September 2011 – The Toff in Town, Melbourne
17 September 2011 – The Vanguard, Sydney
25 September 2011 – Northcote Social Club, Melbourne

Image source: Elvina Mae

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire Bandmates Become The Genie

While Felix Riebl is out doing his solo thing, the other members of The Cat Empire aren’t just sitting idly. Ollie McGill, Ryan Monro, and Will Hull-Brown have created their own side project, The Genie.

This is more than just a few band mates gigging to pass the time until their fearless leader returns. The Genie have recorded a debut album Here Come the Scissors, which has actually been in the works in 2006. I guess it’s hard to find the time when The Cat Empire has been doing so well! The disc has had time to marinate and mature and will finally be unleashed with some launch shows in the major capitals.

Melbournites can see The Genie, along with their The Cat Empire bandmate DJ Jumps, at The Northcote Social Club on June 30. After that it’s off to Sydney’s The Basement to play with some undisclosed special guests on August 31.

Here Come the Scissors is available now through The Genie’s website, iTunes, and Amazon.

Image used with permission from Pod Artist Services

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire’s Felix Riebl Readies First Solo Album

Felix Riebl shows us what he can do without his Cat Empire mates with the release of his first solo album Into the Rain.

The solo effort sees Felix stripping the music back and focusing on the songs and their stories, an approach which definitely resonates with me. It’s going to be interesting to see what Felix sounds like when he’s not buoyed by all that brass, but I’m pretty excited to find out.

We’ll get our first taste of the album when the single “Wide Open Rivers” hits the internet on June 3. That should tide us over until the album release on July 15.

Image used with permission from Two Fish Out of Water

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire Headline The Hunter’s Funk N Grooves Festival

The Cat Empire will ensure things are extra funky at this year’s annual Funk N Grooves festival.

The ultimate Aussie party band will join Amy Meredith, Hungry Kids from Hungary, Ash Grunwald, King Tide, at Tyrell’s Vineyard in the Hunter Valley on September 10. The bill is one of the strongest I’ve seen in recent years as it seems to be getting back to that funky, groovy vibe I first fell in love with. Add in one of the most gorgeous natural settings going and you’ve got the recipe for a pretty fabulous Saturday.

Tickets will cost $85 from the Funk N Grooves website, Ticketmaster, and Moshtix. Get yours from May 2.

Image source: Joey O’Rourke @ Flickr

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire Announces 10th Anniversary Tour

How time flies when you’re having fun. It seems The Cat Empire has been keeping us smiling with their brass soaked jazz tinged tunes for ten years now, and they’re celebrating the milestone with a tour.

It’s a diverse string of dates, with slots at festivals and appearances at some intimate jazz clubs and larger theatres. The band hasn’t played at some of these smaller bars in years, so they’re definitely going to be the pick of the dates.

Tickets to the shows go on sale on February 14. Yes folks, they could make a pretty nifty Valentine’s Day gift if the big day’s slipped your mind!

17April 2011 – West Coast Blues ‘N’ Roots Festival, Fremantle WA
24 April 2011 – Byron Bay Blues Fest, Byron Bay NSW
28 April 2011 – The Crown And Sceptre, Adelaide
29 April 2011 – The Jive, Adelaide
30 April 2011 – The Thebarton, Adelaide
4 May 2011 – Bennetts Lane, Melbourne
5 May 2011 – The Night Cat, Melbourne
6 May 2011 – The Palace, Melbourne
7 May 2011 – The Corner Hotel, Melbourne
8 May 2011 – Prince Band Room, Melbourne
12 May 2011 – The Annandale, Sydney
13 May 2011 – The Metro Theatre, Sydney
14 May 2011 – The Enmore Theatre, Sydney
15 May 2011 – The Basement, Sydney

Image source: Fiona Steele @ Wikimedia Commons

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

Dan Webb Takes Up Evelyn Residency

Dan Webb is celebrating the silly season with a month long residency at Fitzroy’s Evelyn Hotel. The residency comes on the back of the recent release of his EP Hyperspace Clearance.

Dan’s shows are always something special as he embraces the spontaneity that comes with the live music experience.

“I’ve got a great band and I like to keep them on their toes so if I want to extend an instrumental jam or something … we’ll just go for it,” he explained. “Each show’s bursting with frenetic energy – it’s no dismal affair.”

As an added Christmas bonus, Dan will be supported by some amazing local acts including The Cuckoos, featuring some of the guys from Little Red, James Wallace’s solo project Wintercoats, The Smoke, and The Raffaellas. He’ll also be joined on stage for the last two shows by the mighty horns section from The Cat Empire.

Tickets are a meager $5, so make sure you check out at least one of these shows.

7 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Supported by The Raffaellas + DJs)
14 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Supported by Wintercoats + DJs
21 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Feat. The Empire Horns and supported by The Cuckoos)
28 December 2010 – The Evelyn Hotel, Fitzroy (Feat. The Empire Horns and supported by The Smoke)

Image used with permission from Dan Webb

Posted on by Lauren Katulka

The Cat Empire Announce New Album and Tour

Melbourne band The Cat Empire have just signed a brand new deal with EMI, and announced the release of their new album to celebrate.

Cinema will hit stores on June 25, but we’ll get a sneak peek with the digital release of the first single “Feeling’s Gone” on May 14.

The Cat Empire’s material has always sounded best in the live arena, so fans will be happy to hear the band will embark on a national tour. Currently only ten dates have been confirmed, but they promise there’s more where that came from. Sit tight fans in Broome, Townsville, Alice Springs, and Darwin; your cities are amongst the ones yet to be announced. As for everyone else, here are the shows to add to your concert calendar.

Days Like This Festival


19 August 2010 – Palace Theatre, Melbourne
21 August 2010 – The Station, Perisher
22 August 2010 – ANU Bar, Canberra
26 August 2010 – Beach Hotel, Byron Bay
27 August 2010 – Coolangatta Hotel, Gold Coast
28 August 2010 – Riverstage, Brisbane
29 August 2010 – Hordern Pavillion, Sydney
1 September 2010 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide
2 September 2010 – Astor Theatre, Perth
10 September 2010 – Reggaetown Festival, Cairns