Majestic, mystical and simply magical. These are the words that I would use to describe local band, Gypsy & The Cat.
On Friday night, at the Palace Theatre in Melbourne, I stood shoulder to shoulder among many other fans in anticipation of seeing the band perform. Everybody was there for one reason, to witness and experience the enormous musical talent displayed by the duo.
In 2008, former Melbourne DJ’s, Xavier Bacash and Lionel Towers formed Gypsy & The Cat. Their electro-pop songs possess a ‘gypsy’ feel, as bands such as Fleetwood Mac and the Bee Gees – who also fall under a similar genre – have influenced their musical arrangements. Since their first release, ‘Time To Wander’, Gypsy & The Cat have not only created a following in Australia, but also in the UK — their first live performance was held in London just a year ago.
Back in Melbourne, the warm, illuminated theatre helped me to ‘breakaway’ from where I was standing, taking me to an unknown yet numinous place, as I embraced Gypsy & The Cat’s musical talent.
They opened the show with their hit, ‘Breakaway’, which had the entire audience on all three levels on their feet and dancing. They even played a couple of brand new songs, including ‘Human Desire’, which I am sure will become an absolute success in Australia and abroad.
My favourite song performed on the night would have to be ‘Sight of a Tear’, from their new album, Gilgamesh. And as the song name suggests, I actually felt a tear seep down my face as the song’s somewhat lullaby arrangement simply blew me away.
The show came to a close an hour later and as if by request, Gypsy & The Cat came back on stage to perform their smash hit, ‘Jona Vark’. The entire throng sang along, while waving their phones and cameras in the air, lighting up the entire auditorium as they jumped around.
Gypsy & The Cat’s spellbinding show proved to me that they are an exceptionally talented band, as they not only possess an original sound, but also because they are passionate about their craft.
I have no doubt that we will see even more of Gypsy & The Cat in the years to come. I will be sure to attend their next show in town and I encourage you to do the same.
Gianna Dalla-Vecchia is a second year Bachelor of Media Studies student at La Trobe University. Walk through her blog to discover life’s promenade. This is her first piece for upstart.
