Live Review: The Cat Empire, The Bombay Royale

The party-starting firepower of The Bombay Royale opens and watching Andy Williamson (aka The Skipper) play the flute dressed like a sleazy ‘70s cop during opener Ankhiyan is a fully mesmerising trip. Nailing the Bollywood-surf-rock-funk-disco-Bond-theme genre like no one else, The Bombay Royale bring nothing but intrigue, confusion and a mad cinematic spectacle. Parvyn Kaur Singh (aka The Mysterious Lady) wins the night’s best outfit award; with her divine, sparkly gold and fuchsia sari she looks more elegant than anyone else who graces the stage.   

“Hey Melbourne, it’s good to back in the Forum!” yells The Cat Empire’s lead singer Felix Riebl during opening banger Wolves. “We’ve been travelling a lot, but this is the most important show – it’s where we’re from,” he continues, to adoring squeals from the crowd. Singer and trumpet player Harry James Angus, dressed in his very best black singlet, lets loose with his signature trumpet riffs during Bulls, which gets the packed dancefloor jumping quick. On Daggers Drawn Riebl switches to the tom toms while Angus sings, before the band begin a series of mad solo instrumentals. Keys player Ollie McGill goes full jazz, tinkling away in the spotlight, descending deeper into the zone hunched over the keys. Drummer Will Hull-Brown extends the magic with a lengthy solo, beating the skins hard enough to put everyone at risk of shoulder-pop injuries. 

Angus incites mass clapping and jumping along to old fave Two Shoes, during which Riebl and Angus sway sweetly together, in sync, as they harmonise. Mellow and reflective Rising With The Sun offers a brief respite from the raucous party jams, before Angus's elephantine trumpet squeals wreck the peace on How To Explain. Yes indeed, legends, "music is the language of us all" — the crowd screams lyrics right back at The Cat Empire by way of confirmation. Romance-reggae track Midnight gets the ladies swaying and shaking hips to all its sultry beauty, before Steal The Light offers Jamshid "DJ Jumps" Khadiwala the opportunity for a mad solo scratch-fest behind the decks.

McGill sneaks out after foot-stomping demands for an encore to play another solo that descends straight into utter genius. Dedicating final track The Chariot to the crowd, for "keeping this band alive", The Cat Empire finish on top of their game, reminding this hometown crowd exactly why we've loved them for so long.