LIVE REVIEW | CATE LE BON
The Gate Arts Centre, Cardiff, Sat 8 Feb
Low, moody lighting, a damp musk of beer and body odour clinging to the air… Yup, this was a rock concert, albeit in the fairly intimate setting of an old converted church in Cardiff. This was where Cate Le Bon would make her duly awaited return to Wales on her 2014 UK tour. Nordic troubadour Sea Lion joined her to kick off the evening.
Linn Österberg, the Swedish songwriter behind Sea Lion, approached the microphone alone and swiftly dispelled the idle chatter of a restless audience. How did she do this? Not with a guttural wail or a resonant guitar strum but with a very, very high pitched, sweet whisper of a voice and delicate electric guitar accompaniment. It was unusual to say the least, principally because her brittle voice is unlike anything currently on the contemporary music scene. The pensive, mellow repertoire she performed drifted steadily up to the rafters and filled the open space with a pleasing tranquillity, that was, until further incessant babble from the crowd brazenly overpowered her. The tender, introspective songs she played had considerable emotional impact, yet we were unable to truly appreciate them because we couldn’t calm down (yes, I’m a little bitter about it!).
The excitement, it seemed, was reserved for only one other…
After a brief intermission, the stage began to ooze some kind of psychedelic brown noise indicating the imminent approach of Cate and her band. When the group finally made their appearance they were greeted with an almost lovesick ovation. They haven’t changed their unconventional methods, filling the sound with a barrage of influences, particularly those of musical peers the Super Furry Animals.
Cate had the crowd in her clutches throughout and those in the front released their inhibitions flinging themselves about unrestrainedly. The band were on form, like some kind of sonic steamroller – all at once propelling the music and hanging back when they needed to, savouring the relaxed rhythms and the subtle strut in their sound. Of course, they often indulged in a bit of experimentation which could be categorised somewhere between Pink Floyd’s early kaleidoscopic improvisations and the wacky music for The Magic Roundabout.
As the evening’s eccentricity came to a close with the obligatory encore (including fan favourite Fold The Cloth), it was clear that it was a resounding triumph amongst all long-time and prospective Bon Bons… Le Bonites?… oh dear…
words CHARLIE PIERCEY