Looking back through my archives it’s been nearly thirteen years to the day that I first saw Caitlin live supporting Deer Tick at Cargo in Shoreditch. After a long gap between albums Caitlin is back with the excellent ‘Cazimi’ last year.
Tonight’s show is a double header and after performing an early set with support band ‘Hollow Hand’ they did it all over again for us an hour or so later. First up though a review for the aforementioned support who were excellent. Brighton based Hollow Hand had an eighties feel to them fronted by lead guitarist and singer whose voice sounded a little like Danny George Wilson, which is a good thing.
Some great tunes in their thirty minute warm up, not that a warm up was necessary as the temperature inside the venue was 5 degrees lower than the surface of the sun. They came back on to act as Caitlin’s band and I’m not sure how long they have known each other or the songs but they complimented each other so well you would think that they have been a unit for years.
Onto Cailtin, diminutive in statue but strong in voice treats the late show as almost her own personal jukebox. I think the setlist was there for show only as the band made snap decisions throughout on what they wanted to play. There were many Jimmy Buffet tributes, a Spencer Cullum and Magnolia Electric Co. covers to boot in what was a packed sixty minute show.
Whilst the music was fantastic the humble self-deprecating stories and asides mean a career in comedy beckons if the music fails, which it won’t. Before you know it, its all over and while we could have watched for another hour its both past the witching hour and water and salt levels definitely needed replenishing and such was the sweat in the room even the walls were dripping.
A great shambolic evening of fine music
Keep on country rockin’ y’all