With their cocktail of jazz, ska, funk, rock and Latin music, Australian outfit The Cat Empire creates a unique sound. A sound, as you can imagine, that brings down the roof when played live. Especially with six musicians on stage, often supplemented by a horn section. That’s The Cat Empire as we’ve known it for the past 20 years, but things are going to change. This line-up will play another three final concerts, and then, founding members Felix Riebl (vocals/percussion) and Ollie McGill (keyboards/backing vocals) will continue the band in a new form. ‘With a re-imagined, vibrant, cross-cultural, and joyful collective of musicians and artists’, as they say themselves. New music is planned for 2022. Hopefully they’ll keep the musical mix intact.

Ahead of this drastic change, the band released six farewell songs. The two last ones, Sparrow and Into The Night are out now. I like the latter best. It’s got that wonderful live energy you’ll remember if you ever attended one of the band’s gigs.

Riebl says about it: “I guess it’s an unashamed fist in the air anthem that celebrates the exuberance and live music and coming together and sharing germs and spreading an infecting love and just being in that space where you can let loose whether that’s at a live show, your living rooms or wherever you are. (…) I won’t hide the fact that this is a nostalgic song. It’s about looking back and realising that you made all sorts of mistakes, but if you can be together on one night, then there’s cause to celebrate music, and that’s all.”

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Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.