1. What Do You Look For in a Band?
A good melody. Lyrics that get into your bones and take you to another world. A penchant for minor chords without being deflating. A little mystery…
2. Keeping Busy
Being an independent musician, it isn’t hard to keep busy. I’m launching my sophomore EP Dreams Are Just Movies in early October and supporting its release with an east coast tour, so I’ve been wearing a lot of different hats over the last few months – manager, booking agent, events organiser, designer. Now I’m gearing up for the performer part where I get to be a musician again!
3. Best Gig Ever
My best gig ever began with having to give up a free Lady Gaga ticket so I was pretty determined to make the show worth my while. It was a special Folk Club where all the artists on the bill – Packwood, The Falls and myself – got to play with a string quartet, and the feeling of being up there hearing the arrangements played live as I sang was pretty phenomenal. The audience were really receptive and the night ended up going so well that I had a glowing review from someone who wasn’t even there but heard about it through the grapevine. The worst gig ever was when I made the rookie mistake of booking a show in Newcastle completely unaware that it was the same weekend as a footy final, the This Is Not Art festival and a public holiday, so I had the pleasure of playing to the bar staff and the band I was supporting. There were definitely a few take-home lessons from that night.
4. Current Playlist
I’ve had Jen Cloher’s ‘Hold My Hand’ on repeat and it’s one of those songs that grows beautifully and takes you on a bit of a journey with every listen. Martha Wainwright’s ‘Come Home To Mama’ has also been a bit of a favourite lately since I saw her perform live at the Opera House. She’s a real character on stage and her songs have a mystery about them that I’m drawn to. Unfortunately the current playlist in my head is an earworm of Lily Allen’s ‘Not Fair’ which I’ve had stuck in my head since watching Rage and just can’t get out – it’s really starting to drive me a little bit crazy.
5. Your Ultimate Rider
If I could have anything at all I wouldn’t be adverse to a masseuse and an endless supply of my nonna’s lasagne. In all honesty though, the most demanding I’ve ever been is to get some hot water for my self-supplied peppermint tea bags.
Rosie Catalano plays Oxford Art Factory with Rose Wintergreen and Brendan Maclean on Thursday October 10.
