Something For Kate @ Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide 1/4/2022
The gates to the Kingdom were open for Something For Kate to make a grand return playing the iconic Thebarton Theatre. This tour promised to be something special celebrating the twentieth anniversary of career shaping third album Echolalia. The show comprised of two sets and no support meant there was plenty more of Something For Kate to enjoy. The first set was a celebration of Echolalia from start to end in all its splendour and the second focused Modern Medieval plus a selection of hits and other gems from the back catalogue as well as a couple of surprises.
With the challenges of COVID and rescheduling this tour and this show there was no doubt that there was a feeling of relief and pure joy that the show was happening. Paul Dempsey commented of the configuration of the room with seats was something they couldn’t undo but fans were encourage to stand, dance and sing to their hearts content.
This was a fantastic show and the first hour was magic hearing Echolalia in its entirety. It isn’t until you hear the album live like this that you realise how many great songs stand out on this album and how many have become regular staples in the live show. The band were on song as they powered through Stunt Show, Three Dimensions and Jerry, Stand Up. Paul commented that it was great to be back in the kingdom thanking Adelaide for hanging in there and that it was great to be here.
Monsters was great and Paul commented on his new shirt that he bought that day looking like a toilet roll after noticing a t-shirt of a fan down the front and how much he liked it having one himself. Deep! Old Pictures is one of those gems from Echolalia, love it. The majestic Feeding The Birds and Hoping For Something In Return and Twenty Years were great moments. Paul commented that it was fun to be back playing again and asked the crowd if this was their first night out in a while. Say Something was powerful and has plenty of relevance right now. Interestingly Manmade Horse had never been played live up until this tour. Finishing the first set on Happy Endings, Seasick and White it was a brief intermission where Paul hoped people would stand saying “get ready to stand up”.
The new album Modern Medieval is sheer brilliance and even Paul said that this tour was the first time playing this album so they had plenty of time to learn it. Kicking off the second set with Waste Of Breath, Situation Room, Come Back Before I Come Back To My Senses and All The Great Minds from the new album. Wow! The Fireball At The End of Everything off Leave Your Soul To Science was stellar as was Letter To The Editor off The Official Fiction. Down The Garden Path off Desert Lights was a great inclusion and Supercomputer from the new album was fantastic. Paul asked if anyone was heading over to Kangaroo Island for the New Shoots Festival before playing a Taylor Swift cover! Yep, that’s right a Taylor Swift cover in Cardigan. Paul spoke about how much he loves that song and how much he loves playing it.
The Something For Kate touch up on the classic David Bowie tune Heroes well and truly got the crowd moving and grooving lifting the energy in the Thebbie a few notches. The night finished on Captain (Million Miles An Hour) and I think we all left knowing we experienced an awesome show. Looking forward to what’s next for Something For Kate.
Live Review By Rob Lyon