July 31, 2004

Europeen, Paris


Setlist, from tonykc in the forums:

The Sun
Feline
The Rhythm
Manifesto
The Lullaby
Hello
The Car Song
Two Shoes
Sly
Sol y Sombra
In My Pocket
Chariot
The Night That Never Ends
Salt Water

extra songs:

Song For The Day
The Lost Song
Conspiracy

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July 30, 2004

Lassay Les Chateaux (North West France) Festival

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July 28, 2004

Details For The London Show...Finally!

Here are the much awaited details for the London show:

The Cat Empire
Friday 20th August
Carling Academy Islington, London
Tik sales 0870 771 2000 - 24 hours
www.ticketweb.co.uk
Ticket Price £12.00 adv/ £14.00 door.

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London Show Details...Finally!

Here are the much awaited details for the upcoming London show.

The Cat Empire
Friday 20th August
Carling Academy Islington, London
Tik sales 0870 771 2000 - 24 hours
www.ticketweb.co.uk
Ticket Price £12.00 adv/ £14.00 door.

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Week 4 - Bringing the House Down...

The official website has Ryan's update from Week 4 and it seems as though the band are tearing it up wherever they travel...


We had a bit of an 'incident' at our Lucerne Blue Balls Festival (don't laugh) gig in Switzerland. Anyone who has seen us live will know what happens in the middle of The Chariot. Harry points at me, we turn the bass up, and we try to get everyone's pant legs a-flappin'. Nobody was really concerned about the SVT blasting its guts out on stage, because about two bars in a large-ish section of the 15th-ish century roof had just given way and landed on the bar.
I really didn't want to say this next line...but...it's inevitable...
WE REALLY BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN.

If you were at this gig, or at any others from the tour, let everyone know about it in the forums

Read the whole tour diary here

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A Warcry from the Empire

Spotted by Bethness from the forums, The Salvation Army magazine Warcry has an interview with both Harry and hornbag Ross about politicial activism, writing music and the evolution of the band itself.

This follows The Cat Empire donating the proceeds from one of the Prince of Wales gigs to the Salvation Army.

Read the full article here

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July 25, 2004

Paleo Festival

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July 24, 2004

Week 3 News Online...

The official website now has an update from Week 3. Sounds like the boys are doing the tourist thing...


On our way from Austria down to Spain, the first stop was a town in Italy called Soave, near Verona. It wasn’t really planned, we just liked the look of this town with old city walls going up the hill to a castle at the top, with grape vines filling all the gaps. We missed the turnoff to Soave and spent about an hour backtracking thanks to the unforgiving no u-turn motorway, and the unavoidable confusion of driving on the “wrong” side of the road.

If you were at any of the gigs, or have any news about the Europe tour, we'd love to hear from you in the forums!

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Blue Balls Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland

Playing "The Club - Schweizerhof", see website for more details

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July 23, 2004

Blue Balls Festival, Lucerne, Switzerland


Playing "The Club - Schweizerhof", see website for more details

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Going, going, GONE!

Well, if you were after a copy of The Sun, you'll unfortunately have to wait till next time and be prepared to fork over a bit of cash for it. It has just sold on eBay for a staggering $227.50!!!

Looks like the bar keeps getting raised so unless you’re able to find one at the bottom of a barrel somewhere, (akin to the proverbial four leaf clover) you might just have to settle with winning one of the last known copies of Live At Adelphia.

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July 20, 2004

Mont de Marsan, France

From the official website:


MONT DE MARSAN (SOUTH FRANCE) FREE FESTIVAL IN THE SOUTH

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July 15, 2004

While The Cat's Away...


I'm going to be away for five weeks, in Europe and Asia, and so www.thecatempire.info and The Cat Alley forums are going to be left to their own devices! Forum regulars will be filling in with front-page news and keeping the home fires burning.

Coincidentally, I'll be in Barcelona at the right time to catch two TCE gigs, so expect full reports from both.

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Week 2 Band news online


The official website now has an update from the second week of the European tour. The unnamed writer is definitely having fun:


With over 1000 rugged-up stein-swilling punters watching, we ripped through two sets of old and new stuff as the sun went down and the mercury dropped in a serious kind of way. It was great to see an Aussie flag flying proudly in the crowd too, along with a homemade Cat Empire t-shirt or two. The Austrians were incredibly hospitable, leaving us a record-setting two kegs in the band room.

If you were at any of the gigs, or have any news about the Europe tour, we'd love to hear from you in the forums!

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The Sun on Ebay


Attention, shoppers! Red Spot Special today is a copy of The Sun being sold on ebay!

With six days to go, it's already at fifty dollars, so it's fair to say that this will not be an auction for the faint-hearted or thin-walleted. The Sun is very rare and obviously already has collectible status. Disclaimer: TCE.info has nothing to do with this auction.

Of course, forking over your hard-earned cash isn't the only way to score an exclusive TCE CD: our very own Live At Adelphia competition is still on, and there's plenty of time left to think up a cunning winning entry.

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July 14, 2004

The saga continues...

Now into the second week of their European odyssey, the band has played to a crowd of "1000 rugged-up stein-swilling punters" in Austria. The rather theatrical news entry from the official site reads like the journal of the von Trapp family:


At daybreak the band again broke camp, this time heading north in hopes of reaching the kingdom of Austria. The band were dismayed to find that every man and his damned steed had decided to do the same that day, and so they about-faced and set sail for the fair isle of Venice.

It seems like that all is going well for our favourite ambassadors of the arts, not surprising since they were treated with "a record-setting two kegs in the band room."

Read it all here. ...cross your fingers for a cover of edelweiss!

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July 13, 2004

Win Live @ Adelphia!


We have a very exclusive competition running at the moment: There is one copy of the very-early, very-limited-release Live At Adelphia up for grabs. All the details are in the Competitions forum:

To win this CD from the distant past, you'll need to look into your (gypsy) crystal ball, and tell me something about the future.

Exciting stuff, no? There's stickers and DVDs to be won as well, so get in there!.

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July 11, 2004

Tour Diary at Musichead


The first of the Europe tour diaries is now online over at Musichead (EMI). They've already played crowds from 150 to 10,000, in Amsterdam and France. Eurockeenes sounds like a wild festival:


With a crowd of 10 000+ watching us, we?re still pinching ourselves over having that opportunity so early in our foray into Europe. It was one of those awesome European festivals we?d heard so much about ? three days on an island in the middle of a lake out in the country with EVERY band you can think of, and very little law being enforced.

Read it all here. Good on you guys!

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July 09, 2004

Jazz Over Villach, Austria

website

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July 07, 2004

First Europe Review


Andreas, in the forums, has let us know what happened at the Cat's first gig of the Europe tour. Read his report in the gigography entry for the Melkweg:

obviously fans going crazy when Harry(?) blew his trumpet, the others going crazy during the concert.

Sounds like they rocked the party, but could have done with more time on stage. The international following grows!

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Cooperative de Mai, France

website

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July 06, 2004

Cooperative de Mai, France

website

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July 05, 2004

New Guitar Tabs online now


Thanks to greg, we've got a couple more guitar tabs on line. Check them out in the Music Resources section: There's now Two Shoes and The Chariot. They might come in handy for those doing TCE covers out there!

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The Chariot

The Cat Empire - The chariot
Tabbed by Greg
greg_sher@hotmail.com
The chariot
Trumpet intro: |Em  |Am  |G  |C C/B|
(The notes for the trumpet intro are...

Concert pitch:(Guitar,piano etc)
E-G-f#-E-F#-E-C...F#-A-G-F#-C-D-B....
Eb-F#-E-G-F#-E-F#-E-C-(high)A...B-C-B-C-B-C-B...

E Flat pitch: (alto sax etc)
C#-E-Eb-C#-Eb-C#-A...Eb-F#-E-Eb-A-B-G#...
C-EB-C#-E-Eb-C#-Eb-C#-(high)A-F#...G#-A-G#-A-G#-A-G#~

couldnt be bothered transposing to Bb for all you trumpet
players so just drop each note a tone and youll be set

Verse: |Em  |G  |Am  |C  D|
Pre Chorus |Am  |Bm |G D/F#|C  |Am  |G  |D  |D  |
Chorus  |G   |C  |D  |%  |
         I    IV  V

Chords
   Em      | Am       | G      | C      | C\B |
e|-0----7--|-0-----5--|-3----3-|-0----3-|--0--|
b|-0----8--|-1-----5--|-3----3-|-1----5-|--1--|
g|-0----9--|-2-----5--|-0----4-|-0----5-|--0--|
d|-2-OR-9--|-2-OR--7--|-0-OR-5-|-2-OR-5-|--0--|
a|-2----7--|-0-----7--|-2----5-|-3----3-|--2--|
E|-0-------|-------5--|-3----3-|--------|-----|

  Bm |D/F#|D       |
e|-2-|-2--|-2----5-|
b|-3-|-3--|-3----7-|
g|-4-|-2--|-2----7-|
d|-4-|-0--|---OR-7-|
a|-2-|-x--|------5-|
E|---|-2--|--------|

Intro:
e|-0--3---2--0-2--0---~/~--2--5--3--2---------~/~---2--0~----
b|-------------------1~/~--------------1--3--0~/~-4----------
g|--------------------~/~---------------------~/~------------
d|--------------------~/~---------------------~/~------------
a|--------------------~/~---------------------~/~------------
E|--------------------~/~---------------------~/~------------

e|-3--2--0---2--0S8--5--7h8--7h8--7h8-7-
b|--------------------------------------
g|--------------------------------------
d|--------------------------------------
a|--------------------------------------
E|--------------------~/~---------------------~/~------------

e|-3--2--0---2--0S8--5--7h8--7h8--7h8-7-
b|--------------------------------------
g|--------------------------------------
d|--------------------------------------
a|--------------------------------------
E|--------------------------------------

Em                        G
This is a song that came upon me

one night
         Am
when the news it had been telling me
       C                D
about one more war and one more fight
     Em
and 'aeh' I sighed but then
   G
I thought about my friends
         Am
then I wrote this declaration
         C         D
just in case the world end

     Em
Our guns
                G
we shot them in the things we said
         Am
ah we didn't need no bullets
         C            D
cos we rely on some words instead
  Em
kill someone in argument
    G
outwit them with our brains
         Am
and we'd kill ourselves laughing
         C                D
at the funny things we'd say

      Em
And bombs
              G
we had them saved for special times
         Am
when the crew would call a shakedown
          C             D
we break down a party landmine
Em
women that so sexy
       G
they explode us with their looks
     Am
ah we blowing up some speakers
         C                    D
jumping round till the ground shook

         Em
And missiles
               G
they were the roadtrips that we launched
   Am
t-t-tripping across this island
          C               D
starting missions at the break of dawn
Em
yawn and smile say
         G
'what direction shall we take?'
Am
'Somewhere where it warm and wet'
C                        D
this be the route we'd always take and....

PRE CHORUS
Am                         Bm
Our weapons were our instruments
G           D/F#        C
made from timber and steel
            Am
we never yielded to conformity
       G
but stood like kings
       D
in a chariot that's riding on a
D
record wheel

2nd Chorus
G  |C  |D  |%

Horn Line for Chorus
Guitar tab (Concert C pitch)

e|-6--7-----------5--------
b|--------8---5------------
g|-------------------------
d|-------------------------
a|-------------------------
E|-------------------------

Notes for Concert Pitch:
(guitar, bass, piano.. etc)
  A#  B   G   E   A

Notes for Eb pitch
(alto sax)
G  G#  E  C#  F#

Notes for Bb Pitch
(trumpet)
G#  A   F  D   G

Return to verse chords

And our airforce flying
when the frisbee in the sky
have a session while we're smoking
now we're feeling extra high
and we'd sneak into a carpark
with the skaties on our back
and we're flying down the levels howling
'on the attack now on the attack'


And battles
they happened in these dancehalls
see we'd rather fight with music
choosing one the rhythm war
battle at these shakedowns
and we battle at these gigs
we do battle in our bedrooms
made some sweet love to the beat


Then our allies grew
wherever we would roam
see whenever we're together
any stranger feel at home
in a way we are an army
but this army not destruct
no instead we're doing simple things
good loving find it run amuck


This be a declaration
written about my friends
it's engraved into this song
so they know I'm not forgetting them
see maybe if the world contained
more people like these
then the news would not be telling me
about all that warfare endlessly and

PRE CHORUS
Am                         Bm
Our weapons were our instruments
G           D/F#        C
made from timber and steel
            Am
we never yielded to conformity
       G
but stood like kings
       D
in a chariot that's riding on a
D
record wheel

2nd Chorus
G  |C  |D  |%

Horn Line for Chorus
Guitar tab (Concert C pitch)

e|-6--7-----------5--------
b|--------8---5------------
g|-------------------------
d|-------------------------
a|-------------------------
E|-------------------------

Notes for Concert Pitch:
(guitar, bass, piano.. etc)
  A#  B   G   E   A

Notes for Eb pitch
(alto sax)
G  G#  E  C#  F#

Notes for Bb Pitch
(trumpet)
G#  A   F  D   G

enjoy
cheers greg
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Two Shoes

The Cat Empire - Two Shoes Tabbed by Greg Sher Email: greg_sher@hotmail.com This is the tapes break and outtakes version hence the bridge
Verse|Dmin  |Fmaj |Cmaj  |Gmin  |
      -------------------------------
      |1.      |2
Chorus|Bb Major|Dmin  |Gmin  |Cmaj  | (2nd time x 4)
Bridge|Dmin    |Em Cmaj  |

Chords:
   Dmin    | Fmaj   | Cmaj   | Gmin |Bb Maj  |Emin|
e|-5-----1-|-1----1-|-3----0-|-3----|-6----1-|-7-|
b|-6-----3-|-1----1-|-5----1-|-3----|-6----3-|-8-|
g|-7-OR--2-|-2-OR-2-|-5-OR-0-|-3----|-7-OR-3-|-9-|
d|-7-----0-|-3----3-|-5----2-|-5----|-8----3-|-9-|
a|-5-------|-3------|-3----3-|-5----|-8----1-|-7-|
E|---------|-1------|--------|-3----|-6------|---|

Intro:
e|----5--------5------5-------------
b|----6--------6------6-------------
g|----7--------7------7-------------
d|----7--------7------7------------- repeat then...
a|-5-----5--4------5-----------4p3--
E|-----------------------5h6--------

e|-------------------
b|--6~---------------
g|--7~---------------
d|--7~---------------
a|--x~----------4p3--
E|--6~-----5h6-------

Verse:
    Dmin                          Fmaj
One day one woman asked him what do you to survive?
         Cmaj                           Gmin
He said "oh my dear, listen here." and this is what I cry
       Dmin                                Fmaj
On my feet, I wear two shoes for dancing, dancing to be free.
    Cmaj                                Gmin
My feet they're paying tribute to the Bobby Marley Legacy
       Dmin
and my knees they've got some cuts and bruises
       Fmaj
from a-skating all my days
           Cmaj
because a-when I'm skating with my friends
     Gmin
my troubles drift away. I say
    Dmin
my legs they're wearing baggy pants
          Fmaj
I like ta move around
                Cmaj
'Cause getting down and jumping up
                Gmin
These are some good things that i've found

Chorus:
                   Bb Maj
Waaaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak the empire be rising

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak we making some lovin'

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak tha greedy man running

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak got two shoes for dancing.


           Dmin
... and my waist has got a slinky belt
       Fmaj
with a clip that's quick to open
          Cmaj
because a'loving is the sweetest thing,
     Gmin
and from my waist is happens
       Dmin
and my stomach's got some tasty food
       Fmaj
that's makin' me feel good
        Cmaj
because sharing some meals is
             Gmin
some thing I wish the world could do

       Dmin
and my chest it wears a singlet
      Fmaj
oh my chest is beating proud
       Cmaj
oh my chest suggests I am a man
        Gmin
that no institutions will knock round
     Dmin
and around my neck is superstiton
Fmaj
hanging from a chain
             Cmaj
because i've got my gods, but in the end
      Gmin
I'll make my own way.


Chorus:
                   Bb Maj
Waaaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak the empire be rising

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak we making some lovin'

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak tha greedy man running

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak got two shoes for dancing.


BRIDGE:
e|-5-5-5-5-5--7--8--8--8--8--8---7-
b|-6-6-6-6-6--8--8--8--8--8--8---8-
g|-7-7-7-7-7--9--9--9--9--9--9---9-(Repeat as necessary
d|-7-7-7-7-7--9--10-10-10-10-10--9-
a|-5-5-5-5-5--7--10-10-10-10-10--7-
E|---------------8--8--8--8--8-----

       Dmin
and my mouth it's got a great big smile
     Fmaj
that shows some great big teeth,
   Cmaj
to friends it brings happiness
        Gmin
and to enemies it brings defeat.
       Dmin
and my eyes have got some vision
         Fmaj
they can see through many lies
      Cmaj
oh my eyes they look for better things,
    Gmin
the better things to see in life
       Dmin
and my ears are wearing headphones
            Fmaj
they're to play my favourite songs;
     Cmaj
and not music i'm told to like
        Gmin
but the songs that make me dance along
       Dmin
'cause on my feet are shoes for
          Fmaj
shoes for dancing, dancing to be free
      Cmaj
oh my feet they're paying tribute to...
Gmin
(The Bobby Marley Legacy!)


Chorus:
                   Bb Maj
Waaaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak the empire be rising

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak we making some lovin'

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak tha greedy man running

Waaiiiyyaaa
Dmin              Gmin      Cmaj
  boomshak got two shoes for dancing.
(Repeat as needed)
e|---------------------------------------------------
b|---------------------------------------------------
g|------------------3-------3------------------------
d|-------3-----7--------5-------7-------3---5---3----
a|--5-------------------------------5--------------5-
E|---------------------------------------------------

Harry solo
concert pitch (piano, guitar.. ETC)
Key of: Dmin

E flat (alto sax)
Key of: Bmin

B flat (trumpet)
Key of: Cmin
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July 04, 2004

Eurockeenes de Belfort Festival, France

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July 03, 2004

Musiques sur la Ville, Chalons en Champagne, France

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July 02, 2004

Groningen Jazz Festival, Holland

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July 01, 2004

Melkweg, Amsterdam


Some comments from andreas in the forums:

They played for less than an hour, as supporting act of 'El Rococo Panteon'. Needless to say they were the better act, as about 150 people(!) witnessed. There was plenty of space for more (music, and people).

I was introduced to their music by a friend of mine about two months ago. He emigrated to Australia several years ago, was over to see rellies and friends, and gave us the first CD of the TCE as a present. We thought, oh boy, an Australian band. I have quite a few rellies in Oz (Yes, Buykx is an Australian name) and heard some Australian music that didn't really appeal to me, so TCE really surprised us very very nicely with their great blend of jazz-latin-ska-reggae and so forth. So then, I checked the internet and found they'd be playing in the Melkweg. My friend had told me about the parties down-under with thousands of people going nuts, so I got tickets right away.

The Melkweg (translates: Milky Way)/Paradiso venue (www.melkweg.nl) is a literal Temple of Music. It is housed in an old church and very famous (in Holland). The 'old hall' where they played can take upto, say, 1000 people when the balcony(!) is opened as well. BIG artists, like Rolling Stones and Prince did surprise concerts there. The concert was not part of a festival, but as far as I can see their concerts in Edinburgh, GB especially and also some in France are part of festivals.

But when TCE played, there were about 100, 150 people in. Some of them (about 40, including me and my girl) obviously fans going crazy when Harry(?) blew his trumpet, the others going crazy during the concert. When they started I was surprised that they got to play first since I supposed they were the main, and when, after 50 minutes, they told us they were going to play just one other song I thought they were joking....

El Rococo Panteon is a very Loud band mixing latin with rock. They gathered a huge croud, but they played rough and badly tuned, and we were disappointed at the short TCE gig so we left early.

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