The Cat - CD launch. 3rd Sept 2011
Brisbane based singer songwriter Ben Salter has a new lineup: Dale Peachy on keyboard & guitar, Melissa Fraser on bass and Sam Schlencker on drums to launch his new album The Cat. The Wheatsheaf is packed tonight but not out the back where Ben and band are playing. About 40-50 people sat down to listen to Ben Salter belt out his new tunes and that's a shame. They missed a pretty good gig.
Salter ran through a few old songs like The Coward originally named 'yellow' but shelved with the success of Coldplay's song of the same name, knowing it would be swallowed whole by the behemoth that became Yellow. So his instincts are good. Opportunities, a song about touring with The Wilson Pickets and making new friends, has a quirky upbeat vibe, a tongue-in-cheek ode to his new drinking mate. Empty Mail Box written when Ben was an undergrad is still relevant today. A great song depicting the banality of life and the endless crap that ends up in our mailboxes but its more a comment on the incessant wait (impatience of youth) for the future to kick-in while sifting through the debris of life.
Ben whips out his acoustic guitar for German Tourist a lovely tune with no vocals produced by Garrett from The Drones. A melodic, tricky number, just when you think you know the tune it veers in another direction, played well by Salter. Garrett also released a song called Stranger Tourist. Bit of a theme on tourists going on here.
The band joins Ben for Westend Girls and Don't Know Your Own Strength followed quickly by new songs off The Cat album, I'm Not Ashamed, Things fall Apart and I'm So Tired - all good songs played well by the band. At one stage the rain set in belting down on the galvanized roof aptly suiting Salter's raspy vocals, adding an organic rhythm to the songs.
Bassist Mel Fraser is a singer songwriter in her own rite and blends nicely with newcomer Schlencker on drums, his second gig with Salter and Peachy on keyboard & guitar, who has been with Salter since June.
They probably treated this gig as a rehearsal, learning to play together while having fun. No pressure and it showed. As rehearsals so, this was a good one.
Check The Wheaty's website for Coming Attractions.
The Wheatsheaf Hotel
39 George St. Thebarton.
www.wheatsheaf.com.au
Venue booker: Leah Chapman
bands@wheatsheafhotel.com.au
Ph: (08) 8443 4546
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