Cathy Davey @ 100 Club, London
Date: 10th August 2004
Support: Guests
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Tonight the 100 club bears witness to the steady rise of Irish singer songwriter Cathy Davey. This, her first headline show, sees Davey showcasing songs from her debut album ‘Something Ilk’, released later this month.
Signed before she had even played live and the subject of an intense bidding war for her signature, the preceding months leading to tonight’s gig have seen Davey making quiet yet considerable ripples throughout the music community. Successful support slots for the recent Supergrass and Graham Coxon tours followed the critically acclaimed E.P ‘Come Over Here’, released in April. She has been compared to many. Including P.J Harvey, Bjork, Cerys Mathews, and Kate Bush; recorded vocals with Elbow, and has recently been added to the bill at both V festivals. Despite all this, Davey has also managed to remain low key, and the feeling tonight is one of anticipation, with the opportunity to watch one of the most exciting emerging artists in one of London’s most intimate venues.
The set kicks off with the brooding Yak, Yak, a mariachi stomp akin to Tom Waits and early Gomez. It’s a quite and comfortable start for Davey, her breathless tone settling down immediately if not arrestingly. Things continue in a same manner on Hammerhead, a track originally heard a few months ago from the ‘Come Over’ E.P. Cutting chord progressions accompany the sultry slur of the chorus and Davey starts to warm up as the songs reaches it’s climax. ‘Swing It’ keeps to the pace and the feeling is one of impatience and anticipation, waiting for the moment when Davey finally decides to let go and let the audience in. These calls are answered with the brilliant ‘Clean and Neat’, an unashamed pop song that does Davey’s impressive range justice. Stilted stage presence is forgotten as it finally feels like the band are playing as a unit, whilst the audience simply cannot hold back from the irresistible march of the song. The beautiful ‘Cold Man’s Nightmare’ follows; the innocent intonation and memorable chorus representing itself as the Davey’s closest thing to a love anthem.
With attention grabbed, the pace is brought down again with ‘Trade Secret’ and ‘Holy Moly’, the stark composition allowing space to appreciate a truly great voice. When the blissful chorus of ‘Go and Make It’ comes it is hard to imagine one person not being won over by this talent. And, if there were any doubts, ‘Come Over’ dispels them instantly. A brilliant set closer, it manages to strike a perfect balance between sleazy rock and innocent delivery.
On record and on stage the host of comparisons that Davey has received so far seemed misplaced, she is not P.J Harvey. Or Bjork, or even Avril Lavigne, she is Cathy Davey.
[Read the preceding interview with Cathy Davey here:
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For more information you can visit: http://www.cathydavey.co.uk
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