Live Review: Cate Le Bon, Nick Allbrook

On a blessedly mild summer’s evening, lucky Perth music fans arrived at the Rosemount to catch the wonderfully eccentric and gloriously talented Cate Le Bon. Her incredible 2019 album Reward garnered rave reviews and the Welsh musician’s back catalogue is pretty remarkable. But how would these often confounding, ethereal songs work in the live context?

Nick Allbrook provided a suitable opening set with his ramshackle though highly entertaining tunes. An as-yet-unreleased song was the undisputed highlight, delivering the visceral, emotional vibes so prevalent in Pond’s best work. The flute was also out in force and it was a beautiful thing to behold. 

Cate Le Bon and her band entered with minimal fuss and rolled through the first three songs off Reward with swagger and style. The clarion call of Miami, replete with two saxophones, was a perfect start. As the set progressed, Le Bon’s multi-instrumentalist band hit their stride and the music became steadily more compelling and propulsive. Reward tunes Magnificent Gestures and Mother’s Mother’s Magazines were fresh, jaunty and jazzy. 

While the Mercury Prize-nominated Reward was the clear focus, songs from Crab Day and Mug Museum also appeared. The thrilling Wonderful was ripped through with aplomb, No God sounded dramatic and Love Is Not Love was full of feeling. During a playful cover of Arthur Russell’s Habit Of You, Le Bon sent out Debbie Harry vibes which was an interesting diversion. 

The night ended with a terrific version of What’s Not Mine, with its relentless beat ringing out across the venue. Le Bon played some feverish guitar at its close and briefly surrendered her calm, serene persona to cut loose. It was a suitably powerful ending to a dynamic set.

Monday night gigs don’t usually carry a festive vibe, even at this time of year, but on this occasion Cate Le Bon’s innovative music and the performance by her cracking band was enough to lift the mood sky high. The happy crowd spilled into the beer garden with looks of wonder and awe on their dials.