The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in
Melbourne, Victoria
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung–Taungurung language, Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the St ...
, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were
Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl (born 1 May 1981) is a singer, songwriter, and composer based in Melbourne. He is the co-founder, band leader and principal songwriter of the internationally acclaimed band The Cat Empire, who have made multi-platinum albums, and are ...
(lead vocals, percussion),
Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus (born 11 June 1982 Melbourne) is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He was one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000 a ...
(trumpet, vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwhala (turntables, percussion),
Ollie McGill
Ollie is a given name and a nickname, often as a shortened form of Oliver, Olive, Olympia, Olga or Olivia. Variants include Olie, Oli, Oly and Olly.
People Given name
* Ollie Marie Adams (1925–1998), American gospel and R&B singer
* Ollie ...
(keyboards, backing vocals) and
Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro (born 26 July 1981) is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been the bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fel ...
(bass, backing vocals). Monro retired from the band in March 2021, while Angus, Hull-Brown and Khadiwhala all left in April 2022. They are often supplemented by The Empire Horns, a
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other with ...
duo composed of Ross Irwin (trumpet) and Kieran Conrau (trombone), among others. Their sound is a fusion of jazz, ska,
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
and
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
with heavy
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
influences.
History
1999–2003: Beginnings
The Cat Empire's origins are traced back to Jazz Cat, a Melbourne-based band, led by Steve Sedergreen in 1999. Jazz Cat was a nine-piece group from different schools and backgrounds which debuted at the Manly Jazz Festival in Sydney. They gigged around Melbourne's jazz club scene including at Dizzy's (Sedergreen was a part-owner). Late that year, Jazz Cat spawned The Cat Empire, originally as a three-piece, with
Ollie McGill
Ollie is a given name and a nickname, often as a shortened form of Oliver, Olive, Olympia, Olga or Olivia. Variants include Olie, Oli, Oly and Olly.
People Given name
* Ollie Marie Adams (1925–1998), American gospel and R&B singer
* Ollie ...
on keyboards,
Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl (born 1 May 1981) is a singer, songwriter, and composer based in Melbourne. He is the co-founder, band leader and principal songwriter of the internationally acclaimed band The Cat Empire, who have made multi-platinum albums, and are ...
on percussion and vocals and
Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro (born 26 July 1981) is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been the bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fel ...
on double bass.
The band's name was taken from the title of a drawing by Riebl's younger brother, Max,
and its distinctive cat's eye icon, known as "Pablo", was created by Ian McGill, Ollie McGill's father. For a few months both groups performed alternate Thursdays at Dizzy's. The Cat Empire's sound is a fusion of jazz, ska,
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
, indie and
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
with heavy
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
influences. They started playing a variety of gigs at other clubs including
Bennett's Lane. The band expanded in July 2001 by adding Harry James Angus on trumpet, Will Hull-Brown (ex-Jazz Cat) on drums and Jamshid "Jumps" Khadiwala as a DJ on turntables (later on percussion).
![CatEmpireTrumpet](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/41/CatEmpireTrumpet.jpg)
In late 2001, the band appeared in the
Spiegeltent
A spiegeltent (Dutch for "mirror tent", from '' spiegel''+''tent'') is a large travelling tent, constructed from wood and canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, intended as an entertainment venue. Originally built in Belgium during ...
at the
Melbourne Festival
Melbourne International Arts Festival, formerly Spoleto Festival Melbourne – Festival of the Three Worlds, then Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, becoming commonly known as Melbourne Festival, was a major international arts festi ...
. By year's end, they had released an independent single "Feline" that October, and a live six-track extended play, ''Live @ Adelphia'' was released in December.
In early 2002, the group played gigs at the
Adelaide Festival of Arts
The Adelaide Festival of Arts, also known as the Adelaide Festival, an arts festival, takes place in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in March each year. Started in 1960, it is a major celebration of the arts and a significant cultural ...
, and in March, they headlined the
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The Melbourne International Comedy Festival (MICF) is the largest stand-alone comedy festival and the second-largest international comedy festival in the world. Established in 1987, it takes place annually in Melbourne over four weeks, typicall ...
and
St Kilda Film Festival
St Kilda is an inner seaside suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km (4 miles) south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Port Phillip local government area. St Kilda recorded a population of 19 ...
. The ensemble commenced its first overseas tour on the West Coast of the United States playing at
The Matrix
''The Matrix'' is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in ''The Matrix'' film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantolia ...
in San Francisco and at the Napa Valley Wine Auction in June. The band received a Music for the Future grant to fund the recording of a live album, ''
The Sun'', at Melbourne's Adelphia studio. At the
Edinburgh Festival
__NOTOC__
This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fe ...
, they played sixteen successive shows in the Late 'n' Live slot between 3am and 5am. They performed at the 2002 Melbourne Festival and a series of local gigs;
Kate Ceberano
Catherine Yvette Ceberano ( or , born 17 November 1966) is an Australian singer and actress who performs in the soul, jazz, and pop genres, as well as in film and musicals such as '' Jesus Christ Superstar''. Her song " Pash" received a gold ...
appeared as a guest vocalist at their final show for the year.
2003–2005: Debut album
The Cat Empire recorded its debut studio album, ''
The Cat Empire
The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were Felix Riebl (lead vocals, percussion), Harry James Angus (trumpet, vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), ...
'', in seven months during 2003 with producer Andy Baldwin in Melbourne. Between recording sessions they toured Australia, including appearing at the
St Kilda Festival
The St Kilda Festival, held every February (except 2021), is a free celebration of Australian music, summer, and St Kilda. Programming includes music, dance, children's activities, comedy, poetry, visual art, theatre, outdoor cinema, beach sp ...
with Ceberano, and at the
East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival
The Byron Bay Bluesfest, formerly the East Coast International Blues & Roots Music Festival, is an annual Australian music festival that has been held over the Easter long weekend in the Byron Bay, New South Wales, area since 1990. The festiva ...
in April. The ensemble was nominated in two categories at the
Australian Jazz Bell Awards
Australian Jazz Bell Awards, also known as the Bell Awards or The Bells, are annual music awards for the jazz music genre in Australia. They were named in honour of Australian jazz pianist, composer and band leader, Graeme Bell (1914–2012), at ...
. They successfully applied for an International Pathways grant from The Australian Arts Council. The band was featured on
BBC Four
BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002 performing at the 2003
WOMAD
WOMAD ( ; World of Music, Arts and Dance) is an international arts festival. The central aim of WOMAD is to celebrate the world's many forms of music, arts and dance.
History
WOMAD was founded in 1980 by English rock musician Peter Gabriel, ...
Festival. The lead single, "
Hello
''Hello'' is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is first attested in writing from 1826. Early uses
''Hello'', with that spelling, was used in publications in the U.S. as early as the 18 October 1826 edition of the ''Norwich C ...
", was placed on high rotation on
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
in August. The group's growing live and critical reputation enabled them to approach record companies for a deal to issue the album in August. They signed with
EMI
EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...
and
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a record label owned by Universal Music Group. It originally founded as a British independent record label in 1972 by entrepreneurs Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell, and musician Tom Newman. It grew to be a worldwid ...
, and, in the UK, with an independent label.
2005–2006: ''Two Shoes''
The Cat Empire released their second album, ''
Two Shoes
''Two Shoes'' is the second studio album by Australian ska-jazz band The Cat Empire, which was issued on 19 April 2005. It is the follow-up to their successful self-titled first album. It was recorded in November to December 2004 in Havana, C ...
'' on 19 April 2005. It was recorded in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. , Cuba, at Egrem Studios, late in 2004, with production by The Cat Empire, Riebl and Jerry Boys.
It debuted at number 1 and until 2016 was their only album to reach the number-one position.
The tracks were more
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
in flavour, with a higher proportion written by Angus than on the first album and it contained some songs previously released on their debut.
Allmusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's Jeff Tamarkin wrote "Skipping merrily from alt-rock crunch to hip-hop beats, landing on reggae/ska, Latin jazz, and points in between, ''Two Shoes'' is clever and brainy, danceable and absorbing".
The Australian version contains a
hidden track
In the field of recorded music, a hidden track (sometimes called a ghost track, secret track or unlisted track) is a song or a piece of audio that has been placed on a CD, audio cassette, LP record, or other recorded medium, in such a way as t ...
, called "1001", which is coupled with the track, "The Night That Never End".
The lead single, "
Sly", was issued ahead of the album on 28 March and reached the top 30. The song appeared on EA Sports' ''
FIFA 08
''FIFA 08'' (titled ''FIFA Soccer 08'' in North America ) is a football simulation video game developed by EA Canada and published by Electronic Arts under the EA Sports label. It was released on all popular gaming formats in September 2007 in Eur ...
'' soundtrack.
"
The Car Song
"The Car Song" is a song by Australian band The Cat Empire. it was released in June 2005 as the second single from the band's second studio album, ''Two Shoes''. The single peaked at #46 in the Australian singles chart.
In the song, Harry Jam ...
", written by Angus, was released as the second single in July, and peaked in the top 50.
In July, the band played two sets at the
Cambridge Folk Festival
The Cambridge Folk Festival is an annual music festival, established in 1965, held on the site of Cherry Hinton Hall in Cherry Hinton, one of the villages subsumed by the city of Cambridge, England. The festival is known for its eclectic mix of ...
(Cambridge, United Kingdom). Later in the month, they performed a set on Sunday evening of
Sheep Music (
Presteigne
Presteigne (; cy, Llanandras: the church of St. Andrew) is a town and community in Radnorshire, Powys, Wales on the south bank of the River Lugg. Formerly the county town of the historic county of Radnorshire, the town has, in common with ...
, Wales) Festival for
World music. In October, ''Two Shoes Deluxe Edition'' DVD was released, which contained live footage of Lullaby and The Car Song, a documentary on the making of the album in Cuba, the original video clips created for the album, and behind-the-scenes footage. The ensemble also featured on a Triple J CD entitled ''
Like a Version
''Like a Version'' is a weekly segment on Australian youth radio station Triple J. It involves Australian and international artists playing two songs live in the Triple J studio, one of their own songs (an "original") and then a cover version, h ...
'', featuring cover versions of songs performed by artists on
Mel Bampton's show, ''Mel in the Morning''. Their track was a version of "
Hotel California
"Hotel California" is the title track from the Eagles' album of the same name and was released as a single in February 1977. Writing credits for the song are shared by Don Felder (music), Don Henley, and Glenn Frey (lyrics). Joe Walsh came ...
" (originally by
the Eagles
The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971. With five number-one singles and six number-one albums, six Grammy Awards and five American Music Awards, the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s ...
), sung in French by Angus. By the end of 2005, ''The Cat Empire'' achieved double platinum certificate and ''Two Shoes'' achieved platinum status.
2006–2010: ''Cities'' to ''So Many Nights''
In March 2006, The Cat Empire participated in the opening ceremony of the
Melbourne Commonwealth Games,
playing their own compositions for approximately an hour as the Games' athletes entered the stadium, introducing the group to an estimated worldwide audience of one billion.
The band signed an American record deal with
Velour Recordings
Velour Recordings is an American record label founded in 1999 in New York City by Jeff Krasno and Sean Hoess.
Signed artists include
* The Cat Empire
* Soulive
* Kaki King
* Melissa Errico
* Maktub
* Topaz
* Lettuce
* Kudu
* Baba
* Sonya Kitc ...
, which released a modified version of the second Australian album, ''Two Shoes'' with different tracks.
On 1 April 2006, the group issued their third studio album, ''
Cities
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
'' (aka ''Cities: The Cat Empire Project'') in Australia, which peaked at number 11.
Described by the group as "between a tribute to our own city and an experiment in sounds that we've found abroad".
A limited edition of 10,000 individually numbered copies were made available. At the
ARIA Music Awards of 2006
The 20th annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAS) were held on 29 October 2006 at the Acer Arena at the Sydney Olympic Park complex. Presenters on the night includ ...
, they won the 'Best World Music Album' category and received a nomination for 'Engineer of the Year' for Adam Rhodes' work.
![CatEmpireBongos](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/CatEmpireBongos.jpg)
The band toured extensively over the year, visiting Asia, America and Europe and playing over 45 gigs in 12 countries.
The ensemble started 2007 with a busy touring schedule and US TV appearances including the ''
Late Show with David Letterman
The ''Late Show with David Letterman'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS, the first iteration of the The Late Show (franchise), ''Late Show'' franchise. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and was produced by ...
'' in February, followed by ''
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
''The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Scottish actor and comedian Craig Ferguson. This was the third iteration of the ''Late Late Show'' franchise, airing from January 3, 2005, to December 19, ...
'' in March. Angus' side project,
Jackson Jackson
Jackson Jackson is a hip hop group from Melbourne, Australia consisting of Harry James Angus (vocals/trumpet; The Cat Empire, The Conglomerate) and Jan Skubiszewski (producer, phrase, and composer; APRA Award winner Two Hands, The Rage in Pla ...
, released their first album, ''The Fire Is on the Bird'' that month. In May, The Cat Empire performed on ''
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno that first aired from May 25, 1992, to May 29, 2009. It resumed production on March 1, 2010 and ended on February 6, 2014.
The fourth incarnation of the ...
''. In June, on the group's European tour they appeared on the
Avalon Stage at the Glastonbury Festival, where the mud was so deep that Riebl and Khadiwhala performed the "gumboot shuffle".
The Cat Empire released their fourth album, ''
So Many Nights
''So Many Nights'' is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian ...
'' in Australia on 22 September 2007, it was produced by
John Porter John Porter may refer to:
Politicians
* John Porter (portreeve), 1390–94, Member of Parliament (MP) for Taunton
* John Porter (Illinois politician) (1935–2022), Illinois politician, U.S. Representative
* John Porter (MP for Bramber) (died 1599 ...
and reached number two.
The lead single, "
No Longer There", was issued two weeks earlier and peaked at number 12. "
So Many Nights
''So Many Nights'' is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian ...
" was listed at number 50 on the
Triple J Hottest 100 for 2007, while "No Longer There" finished at number 62.
In February 2008, the band concluded their Outdoor Australian Tour, with performances in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Newcastle, Canberra, Geelong, Townsville and Launceston. The group later played at a Melbourne Grand Prix event, sharing the stage with
KISS
A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
. In March, the band headlined on the Sunday night at the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival in
Byron Bay
Byron Bay ( Minjungbal: ''Cavvanbah)'' is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia on Bundjalung Country. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a hea ...
.
In January 2009, the ensemble opened the Sydney Festival 2009 at
The Domain. In early February, they performed at
Hisense Arena
John Cain Arena is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena located within Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the second-largest venue and show court for the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam professional tenni ...
as part of the
Australian Open
The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. Th ...
for A Day on the Baseline. Also in February, the group issued ''Live on Earth'' – a live album featuring 22 songs recorded around the world – and a DVD ''Live at the Bowl'' of their
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor bandshell performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain on Linlithgow Avenue close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct ...
performance, with others shows and on-the-road videos. They issued a box set which was limited to 2000 copies. It contained the ''Live on Earth'' CD and DVD as well as a tour diary written by Monro, and band memorabilia. On 28 February, the band played two free shows at Bondi Beach and Circular Quay, welcoming donations, in an effort to raise funds to be put towards the
Victorian Bushfire Appeal. In March, the band appeared live on ABC Radio National's The Music Show.
In March, the group played at the annual Bass in the Grass festival in Darwin to a crowd of 5000. They returned to the WOMADelaide Festival for a second time. After touring Australia, the ensemble completed a tour of the UK with Balkan support act, Paprika Balkanicus. The tour started in July at
O2 Academy Oxford
The O2 Academy Oxford is a night club and live music venue in Oxford, England, operated by Academy Music Group.
Its previous names include the Coop Hall, the Oxford Venue, the Zodiac and the Carling Academy Oxford.
History Oxford Co-operative ...
. The band then performed a range of shows in Melbourne, Brisbane and the Northern Territory, before heading off to Canada for a short tour.
2010–2012: ''Cinema''
![CatEmpireKeyboards](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/87/CatEmpireKeyboards.jpg)
The Cat Empire's fifth studio album, ''
Cinema
Cinema may refer to:
Film
* Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography
* Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image
** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking
...
'', was issued on 25 June 2010 in Australia, followed by releases in Canada, the US, and then Europe.
It was produced by Steve Schram and reached number three.
The track, "Beyond All", was featured on Triple J's ''New Music with Richard Kingsmill'' in April. However, the lead single, "Feeling's Gone", was released in May.
A promotional copy of ''Cinema'' had been leaked to eBay about three weeks before its due date and sold for $200; EMI provided a statement regarding the leak.
In October 2011, the ensemble played their 800th show at the
O2 Academy Bournemouth in front of a sell out crowd. In April 2011, they performed at the
West Coast Blues & Roots Festival
The West Coast Blues 'n' Roots Festival is an annual music festival held in Fremantle, Western Australia. It features many blues and roots performers, both international and local.
History
The festival was founded by Sunset Events and began ...
in
Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia, located at the mouth of the Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australian vernacular diminutive for ...
.
2012–2015: ''Steal the Light''
In December 2012, the Cat Empire returned to Melbourne to commence the recording of a new album after touring extensively throughout 2012. The album, produced by
Jan Skubiszewski
Jan Skubiszewski (pronounced ) (born 1981) is an Australian multi-award-winning composer, record producer, songwriter and sound engineer from Melbourne, Australia. He is also a professional multi-instrumentalist. His work as a record producer and c ...
, was scheduled for a May 2013 release, but the band embarked on a March 2013 "warm-up" tour, on which they played intimate shows in Melbourne and Sydney, as well as bigger stages at the Fremantle Arts Centre in Western Australia and WOMADelaide in South Australia.
"Brighter Than Gold", the first single from their sixth album, ''
Steal the Light'', was released on 22 February 2013 on the Two Shoes music label. A music video for the song was directed by Nicholas Verso for Asphodel Films. Brighter Than Gold received high rotation on Australian and European radio.
''Steal The Light'' was released on 17 May 2013 and a worldwide "Steal the Light Tour" was announced shortly afterwards. The band performed nine US shows in July 2013, supported by
Blackalicious
Blackalicious was an American hip-hop duo from Sacramento, California, made up of rapper Gift of Gab and DJ/producer Chief Xcel. They are noted for Gift of Gab's often tongue-twisting, multisyllabic, complex rhymes and Chief Xcel's soulful pr ...
and, for some of the American dates, were joined by fellow Australians Tinpan Orange.
They played nine UK dates throughout October, then embarked on a European tour. Support was provided by fellow Australians FLAP!, and the tour eventually consisted of a total of 70 shows on four continents. The most notable of these performances was in Sydney, September 2013, where they performed in the
Enmore Theatre
The Enmore Theatre is a theatre and entertainment venue in Sydney, Australia. It was built in 1908. It is located at 118–132 Enmore Road in Newtown, in the inner west of Sydney's suburbs. It was first opened in 1912 as a photo-play theatre. I ...
.The show attracted more than 1500 people from Sydney, including Riebl's old schoolmate who designed the band's posters, Arthur Brammall.
In February 2014, the Romanian B’ESTFEST Summer Camp announced that the Cat Empire was the first band to confirm their position on the events musical lineup. The festival was scheduled for 31 July and 1–2 August 2014, on the
Mogoşoaia Palace estate, approximately 10 minutes from
Bucharest
Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...
.
On 16 January 2015, the Cat Empire performed at
Triple J
Triple J (stylised in all lowercase) is a government-funded, national Australian Radio in Australia, radio station intended to appeal to listeners of alternative music, which began broadcasting in January 1975. The station also places a greate ...
's 40th anniversary "Beat The Drum" celebration concert at the Domain in Sydney, along with other Australian musicians, including
Hilltop Hoods
Hilltop Hoods is an Australian hip hop group that formed in 1996 in Blackwood, Adelaide, South Australia. They are regarded as pioneers of the "larrikin-like" style of Australian hip hop. The group was founded by Suffa (Matthew David Lambert) a ...
,
The Presets
The Presets are an Australian electronic music duo of Julian Hamilton (vocals, keyboards) and Kim Moyes (drums, keyboards). Formed in 2003 and signed to Modular Recordings, Modular Records, The Presets released two EPs (''Blow Up (EP), Blow Up ...
,
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by its lead singer-songwriter and guitarist, Tim Rogers. They formed in December 1989 and are the first Australian band to have released three successive albums that have each debuted ...
,
Daniel Johns
Daniel Paul Johns (born 22 April 1979) is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter best known as the former frontman, guitarist, and main songwriter of the rock band Silverchair. Johns is also one half of The Dissociatives with Paul Mac a ...
,
Vance Joy,
The Preatures
The Preatures were an Australian indie rock band from Sydney, New South Wales, who formed in 2010. The band consisted of lead vocalist and keyboardist Isabella "Izzi" Manfredi, guitarist and vocalist Jack Moffitt, bassist Thomas Champion, a ...
,
Ball Park Music
Ball Park Music are an Australian five-piece indie rock band from Brisbane, who formed in 2008. The band consists of Sam Cromack, Jennifer Boyce, Paul Furness, Dean Hanson and Daniel Hanson. Their debut studio album '' Happiness and Surroundin ...
,
Sarah Blasko
Sarah Elizabeth Blaskow (born 23 September 1976), known professionally as Sarah Blasko, is an Australian singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. From April 2002, Blasko developed her solo career after fronting Sydney-based band, Acqui ...
and
Gotye
Wouter André "Wally" De Backer (born 21 May 1980), better known by his stage name Gotye ( ), is a Belgian-Australian multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter. The name "Gotye" is a pronunciation respelling of "Gauthier", the French cognat ...
. During their set, the Cat Empire collaborated with special guests Remi and Owl Eyes. With the latter, they performed a cover of
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue (; born 28 May 1968) is an Australian singer, songwriter and actress. She is the highest-selling female Australian artist of all time, having sold over 80 million records worldwide. She has been recognised for reinve ...
's "Confide in Me".
They were in Romania again the following year, at the "Electric Castle" Festival in Transylvania, on 28 July 2015.
2015–2018: ''Rising with the Sun''
In early 2016, The Cat Empire announced their second fully independent album, ''Rising with the Sun'', produced by
Jan Skubiszewski
Jan Skubiszewski (pronounced ) (born 1981) is an Australian multi-award-winning composer, record producer, songwriter and sound engineer from Melbourne, Australia. He is also a professional multi-instrumentalist. His work as a record producer and c ...
. The album was made available worldwide on 4 March. On the week of release, the band performed a series of secret 'pop up busking' events around Melbourne, with locations given to fans via clues shared on social media. The locations performed at were
Federation Square
Federation Square (colloquially Fed Square) is a venue for arts, culture and public events on the edge of the Melbourne central business district. It covers an area of at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets built above busy ra ...
,
Circus Oz
Circus Oz is a contemporary circus company based in Australia, collectively owned by its Membership, founded in 1977. Its shows incorporate theatre, satire, rock 'n' roll and a uniquely Australian humour.
History Early years
Circus Oz was inco ...
Spiegeltent
A spiegeltent (Dutch for "mirror tent", from '' spiegel''+''tent'') is a large travelling tent, constructed from wood and canvas and decorated with mirrors and stained glass, intended as an entertainment venue. Originally built in Belgium during ...
and
South Melbourne market.
The album debuted at #1 on the ARIA and AIR charts in Australia, staying in the AIR top 20 for an impressive 21 weeks to date to date since release. Internationally successful, the album achieved Top 10 debut in 7 countries, and Top 20 debuts in 16 countries: #1 Australia, #1 Romania, #4 Hungary, #7 Sweden, # 8 Canada, #9 Czech Republic, #10 Switzerland, #13 Malaysia, #13 New Zealand, #14 Netherlands, #17 Germany, #18 Denmark, #18 South Africa, #19 United Kingdom, #20 Portugal, #20 Spain.
Supported by lead singles Que Sera Ahora, Wolves (#79 in Triple J Hottest 100) and Bulls, the band has performed live on triple J, Terry Wogan Show on BBC2 and Breakfast TV Toronto, as well as achieving extensive media coverage in all of their major markets globally.
''Rising With the Sun'' was supported by an extensive global tour, with close to 100 shows booked across Australia, Europe, America, and Asia for 2016. Major festivals the band were booked for in 2016 were Sula Festival (India) WOMADelaide (Australia) Bluesfest Byron Bay (Australia) Osheaga (Canada) Edmonton Folk Festival (Canada) Regina Folk Festival (Canada) Rock The Shores (Canada) Pleasure Garden (Australia) and Southbound Festival (Australia), among others.
2018–2020: ''Stolen Diamonds''
In early 2018, The Cat Empire recorded their third fully independent album, ''
Stolen Diamonds
''Stolen Diamonds'' is the eighth studio album by Melbourne band the Cat Empire. It was produced by Jan Skubiszewski and released on 15 February 2019 through Two Shoes Records. It debuted at Number 4 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, making i ...
'', at Red Moon Studio (
Gisbourne, Victoria), also their third to be produced by
Jan Skubiszewski
Jan Skubiszewski (pronounced ) (born 1981) is an Australian multi-award-winning composer, record producer, songwriter and sound engineer from Melbourne, Australia. He is also a professional multi-instrumentalist. His work as a record producer and c ...
. The album was drip fed to the band's global audience via their release strategy of releasing one new track on the 1st day of each month, where each song was also complemented with the release of a 360 VR video clip. The videos were filmed a
The Mission To Seafarers Dome in Melbourne Victoria, and regularly featured on YouTube's dedicated VR channel The album debuted at #1 AIR charts in Australia, and #4 on the ARIA charts – their 6th release to debut in the top 10 of this chart.
2018 saw The Cat Empire "Awarded Best Live Band by Public Vote" at the 2018 Australian National Live Music Awards,
and co-lead singer Harry James Angus Awarded "Best Live Voice by Public Vote" at the 2018 Australian National Live Music Awards
Melbourne magazine ''Beat'' rated the album 7 out of 10, stating: "The album barely takes a break from its upbeat tempo, and flows seamlessly between funk, reggae, and ska...". They went on to say that the album "...sees The Cat Empire take one step closer towards legend status."
''
Double J'' presented ''Stolen Diamonds'' as its feature album, and was also very positive in its review, saying: "The worst thing about ''Stolen Diamonds'' is that you’re gonna need to clear some space around you if you're planning on listening to it. Because this is very much a record that inspires movement."
The band's iconic St Kilda Festival set was recorded for Double J's Live at The Wireless segment, and they performed a live performance on Breakfast TV Toronto, as well as achieving extensive media coverage in all of their major markets globally.
With a history of putting fans in the spotlight, lead singers
Felix Reibl and
Harry Angus
Harry James Angus (born 11 June 1982 Melbourne) is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He was one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000 ...
hand delivered copies of the album to fans on release day, and also gave them opportunities to put their own spin on the music with a Karaoke competition for the track Oscar Wilde, and a Busking competition that included an entry from long time friends of the band
Pierce Brothers
''
Stolen Diamonds
''Stolen Diamonds'' is the eighth studio album by Melbourne band the Cat Empire. It was produced by Jan Skubiszewski and released on 15 February 2019 through Two Shoes Records. It debuted at Number 4 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, making i ...
'' was supported by an extensive global tour, with shows booked across Australia, Europe and America throughout both the single release and album release years 2018/2019. The band were the first band to sell out two consecutive shows at London's prestigious
Roundhouse (UK), and hold the record for the band to have sold out the most shows at
Bristol's O2 Academy (UK) with 10 shows. Major festivals the band were booked for in 2019 included opening night of
The Commonwealth Games (Australia),
Woodford Folk Festival
The Woodford Folk Festival is an annual music and cultural festival held near the semi-rural town of Woodford, north of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is one of the biggest annual cultural events of its type in Australia. Every year ap ...
(Australia),
St Kilda Festival
The St Kilda Festival, held every February (except 2021), is a free celebration of Australian music, summer, and St Kilda. Programming includes music, dance, children's activities, comedy, poetry, visual art, theatre, outdoor cinema, beach sp ...
(Australia),
Doctor Music (Spain),
Larmer Tree Festival
Larmer Tree Festival is a three-day music, comedy and arts festival held annually at the Larmer Tree Gardens near Tollard Royal on the Wiltshire-Dorset border in England.
Described as "one of the most family-friendly festivals around", it tak ...
(UK), Bristol Sounds (UK), Bands in the Sands (UK), Blue Balls (Switzerland),
BosPop
Bospop is an annual rock festival in Weert, Netherlands. It started off in 1981 as an initiative by the local youth, as an event for local amateur bands. Within a few years, it was able to book renowned Dutch bands like Fatal Flowers, Herman B ...
(Netherlands), among others.
The band released a live single, "Oscar Wilde" featuring Grace Barbé (Live at the Odeon), on 20 December 2019.
2020–2022: Lockdown and classic line-up disbanding
![TheCatEmpire-TheChariot](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/TheCatEmpire-TheChariot.jpg)
In March 2020, the band embarked on a UK and Spain tour, of which the band played 4 shows before it was abruptly cancelled due to the
Covid-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. After returning to Australia, the band began to work on new material. During this time, they launched a social media initiative, ''#lockdowngetdown'', encouraging listeners to make playlists using their favorite music and share them with others, in an effort to support artists who had lost their source of income due to the impact of the pandemic.
It was announced in March 2021 that founding member and bass player Ryan Monro was retiring from the band. He played his last show at the
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
The Sidney Myer Music Bowl is an outdoor bandshell performance venue in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is located in the lawns and gardens of Kings Domain on Linlithgow Avenue close to the Arts Centre and the Southbank entertainment precinct ...
on 6 March 2021.
In April 2021, the band announced via their Facebook page that they had entered the recording studio to work on a new album, with Yuri Pavlinov of
The Bamboos filling in on bass.
On 9 July 2021, the band released two new singles, ''Going to Live'' and ''Great Beauty''. According to Felix, ''Going to Live'' was written as a response to being forced to cancel their tour of Spain in 2020 due to Covid-19, and was inspired by people in Spain singing on the rooftops during lockdown. A further two songs, ''Coming to Meet You'' and ''The Scream'', were released on 6 August 2021.
On 16 September 2021, the band announced via their Facebook page that core members Hull-Brown, Angus, Khadiwala and career-long Manager Correne Wilkie would be leaving the band following a run of shows in Australia. However, Riebl and McGill would continue the band in a new form.
On 1 October 2021, the band released the final two songs recorded by the original lineup, ''Sparrow'' and ''Into the Night''.
The band started their farewell tour with two shows at the Sidney Meyer Music Bowl in December 2021, for which they were rejoined by former bassist Ryan Monro. They played their final show with the original lineup on 14 April 2022 at Bluesfest Byron Bay.
2022–present: New line-up and future
In August 2022, the band began to announce the first shows with a new lineup via their Facebook page, as well as teasing new music, with new band members started being announced in September. New members announced include
Grace Barbé on bass and vocals, Neda Rahmani on percussion, former touring member Daniel Farrugia on drums, and Lazaro Numa joining The Empire Horns on trumpet and percussion.
Activism
In response to the proposed dumping of around 3 million cubic metres of dredged seabed onto the Great Barrier Reef,
a legal fighting team was formed by
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Australia and the
Australian Marine Conservation Society
The Australian Marine Conservation Society (AMCS) is an Australian environmental not-for-profit organisation. It was founded in 1965 as the Queensland Littoral Society before changing its name to the Australian Littoral Society and then finally in ...
(AMCS) in late 2013/early 2014. The legal team received further support in April 2014, following the release of the "Sounds for the Reef" musical fundraising project. Produced by Straightup, the digital album features the Cat Empire, in addition to artists such as
John Butler John Butler may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
*John "Picayune" Butler (died 1864), American performer
*John Butler (artist) (1890–1976), American artist
* John Butler (author) (born 1937), British author and YouTuber
*John Butler (born 1954), ...
,
The Herd,
Sietta,
Missy Higgins
Melissa Morrison Higgins (born 19 August 1983), known professionally as Missy Higgins, is an Australian singer-songwriter and musician. Her Australian number-one albums are ''The Sound of White'' (2004), ''On a Clear Night'' (2007) and ''The Ol ...
,
Fat Freddys Drop
Fat Freddy's Drop is a New Zealand seven-piece band from Wellington, whose musical style has been characterised as any combination of dub, reggae, soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and techno. Originally a jam band formed in the late 1990s by mus ...
,
The Bamboos (featuring Kylie Auldist) and Resin Dogs. Released on 7 April, the album's 21 songs—including The Cat Empire's song "Steal The Light"—were sold on the
Bandcamp
Bandcamp is an American online audio distribution platform founded in 2007 by Oddpost co-founder Ethan Diamond and programmers Shawn Grunberger, Joe Holt and Neal Tucker, with headquarters in Oakland, California, US. On March 2, 2022, Bandcamp ...
website.
The band have been official ambassadors for Melbourne organization
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre since 2011, actively participating in events and running fundraising initiatives to support the work of the centre, including their 2016 Telethon, band member run donation drives and raffling off rare memorabilia.
Band members
;Current members
*
Felix Riebl
Felix Riebl (born 1 May 1981) is a singer, songwriter, and composer based in Melbourne. He is the co-founder, band leader and principal songwriter of the internationally acclaimed band The Cat Empire, who have made multi-platinum albums, and are ...
– vocals,
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
(1999–present)
*
Ollie McGill
Ollie is a given name and a nickname, often as a shortened form of Oliver, Olive, Olympia, Olga or Olivia. Variants include Olie, Oli, Oly and Olly.
People Given name
* Ollie Marie Adams (1925–1998), American gospel and R&B singer
* Ollie ...
–
piano
The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...
,
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
,
recorder
Recorder or The Recorder may refer to:
Newspapers
* ''Indianapolis Recorder'', a weekly newspaper
* ''The Recorder'' (Massachusetts newspaper), a daily newspaper published in Greenfield, Massachusetts, US
* ''The Recorder'' (Port Pirie), a news ...
,
tubular bell
Tubular bells (also known as chimes) are musical instruments in the percussion family. Their sound resembles that of church bells, carillon, or a bell tower; the original tubular bells were made to duplicate the sound of church bells within a ...
s, backing vocals,
Melodica
The melodica is a handheld free-reed instrument similar to a pump organ or harmonica. It features a musical keyboard on top, and is played by blowing air through a mouthpiece that fits into a hole in the side of the instrument. The keyboard usual ...
(1999–present)
*
Grace Barbé –
bass, vocals (2022-present)
* Daniel Farrugia –
drums
A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other Percussion instrument, auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair o ...
(2022-present; touring 2018)
* Neda Rahmani – percussion (2022-present)
;Former members
*
Ryan Monro
Ryan Monro (born 26 July 1981) is an Australian bassist, known for playing with Australian ska/jazz band The Cat Empire. He has been the bassist for The Cat Empire since its inception and also plays in jazz trio "The Genie", which includes fel ...
–
double bass
The double bass (), also known simply as the bass () (or #Terminology, by other names), is the largest and lowest-pitched Bow (music), bowed (or plucked) string instrument in the modern orchestra, symphony orchestra (excluding unorthodox addit ...
, bass guitar, backing vocals (1999–2021)
*
Harry James Angus
Harry James Angus (born 11 June 1982 Melbourne) is an Australian singer-songwriter, trumpet player and guitarist. He was one of the lead vocalists in the Melbourne band The Cat Empire along with Felix Riebl. He joined the group in early 2000 a ...
–
trumpet
The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...
, vocals, recorder,
resonator
A resonator is a device or system that exhibits resonance or resonant behavior. That is, it naturally oscillates with greater amplitude at some frequencies, called resonant frequencies, than at other frequencies. The oscillations in a resonator ...
and
guitar
The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected stri ...
(2001–2022)
* Will Hull-Brown – drums (2001–2022)
* Jamshid "DJ Jumps" Khadiwhala –
turntables
A phonograph, in its later forms also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogu ...
, percussion (2001–2022)
;The Empire Horns
* Kieran Conrau – trombone, Bass Trombone, Cornet, Backing vocals (2002-present)
*
Ross Irwin – trumpet, flugelhorn, backing vocals (2002-present)
* Lazaro Numa – trumpet, percussion (2022-present)
* Greg Spence – trumpet, backing vocals
hen Irwin is unavailable* Nick Wilkins – trumpet, backing vocals
hen Irwin is unavailable* Jordan Murray – trombone, backing vocals
hen Conrau is unavailable
Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman.
Hen or Hens may also refer to:
Places Norway
*Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
* Phil Noy – tenor saxophone
hen Conrau is unavailable
Hen commonly refers to a female animal: a female chicken, other gallinaceous bird, any type of bird in general, or a lobster. It is also a slang term for a woman.
Hen or Hens may also refer to:
Places Norway
*Hen, Buskerud, a village in Ringer ...
* Carlo Barbaro – tenor saxophone
ntil the ''So Many Nights'' period
;Touring Musicians
* Ben Hendry – drums (2013 European Tour)
* Hugh Harvey – drums (2019 North American Tour)
*
Yuri Pavlinov – bass (2021 - 2022)
*
Dave Symes – bass (SummerSalt Hobart 2021)
;Empirical Strings
* Kristy Conrau - cello
* Alyssa Conrau - violin
;String musicians during 2008:
* Jonny Ng – violin
* Adam Cadell – violin
* Neil Thompson – viola
* Dale Rickert – cello
* Fran Haysey – triangle
* Paul Cashmere – tubular bells
;The Empire Dancers
* Fai Khadiwhala
* Anthony (Bboy Lamaroc)
* Carlos (Bboy Pepito)
* DJ Rude Bouy
* Benny 'BJ' Riley
* John Hurle
* Lenard Trae (Enigma Boogie)
* Andre Widjaja (Jazzy Dre)
* Arthur Brammall (Poster Designer)
Timeline
Touring Timeline
Discography
*''
The Cat Empire
The Cat Empire are an Australian jazz/funk band, formed in Melbourne, Victoria, in 1999. For most of the band's duration, the core members were Felix Riebl (lead vocals, percussion), Harry James Angus (trumpet, vocals), Will Hull-Brown (drums), ...
'' (2003)
*''
Two Shoes
''Two Shoes'' is the second studio album by Australian ska-jazz band The Cat Empire, which was issued on 19 April 2005. It is the follow-up to their successful self-titled first album. It was recorded in November to December 2004 in Havana, C ...
'' (2005)
*''
Cities: The Cat Empire Project'' (2006)
*''
So Many Nights
''So Many Nights'' is The Cat Empire's fourth studio album. On 30 July 2007, the band announced on their website and to their mailing list that the album has been released on 22 September. The release of the album was followed by an Australian ...
'' (2007)
*''
Cinema
Cinema may refer to:
Film
* Cinematography, the art of motion-picture photography
* Film or movie, a series of still images that create the illusion of a moving image
** Film industry, the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking
...
'' (2010)
*''
Steal the Light'' (2013)
*''
Rising with the Sun'' (2016)
*''
Stolen Diamonds
''Stolen Diamonds'' is the eighth studio album by Melbourne band the Cat Empire. It was produced by Jan Skubiszewski and released on 15 February 2019 through Two Shoes Records. It debuted at Number 4 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart, making i ...
'' (2019)
Awards and nominations
APRA Awards
The
APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the
Australasian Performing Right Association
APRA AMCOS consists of Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA) and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society (AMCOS), both copyright management organisations or copyright collectives which jointly represent over 100,000 songwr ...
(APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters". They commenced in 1982.
!
, -
,
2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wat ...
, "Steal the Light" (Harry Angus, Felix Riebl)
, Song of the Year
,
,
, -
ARIA Music Awards
The
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (commonly known informally as ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Awards, or simply the ARIAs) is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Austr ...
is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of
Australian music
The music of Australia has an extensive history made of music societies. Indigenous Australian music forms a significant part of the unique heritage of a 40,000- to 60,000-year history which produced the iconic didgeridoo. Contemporary fusions of ...
. They commenced in 1987. The Cat Empire has won one award.
!
, -
, rowspan="6",
2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, rowspan="3", ''The Cat Empire''
,
ARIA Award for Best Group
The ARIA Music Award for Best Group, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Industry As ...
,
, rowspan="6",
, -
,
ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist - Album
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
,
, -
,
ARIA Award for Best Urban Album
The ARIA Music Award for Best Urban Album, was an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It was handed out by the Australian Recording Ind ...
,
, -
, "Days Like These"
,
ARIA Award for Breakthrough Artist - Single
In music, an aria (Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompanime ...
,
, -
, Andy Baldwin and The Cat Empire for The Cat Empire ''The Cat Empire''
,
ARIA Award for Producer of the Year
The ARIA Music Award for Producer of the Year, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", and have been given by t ...
,
, -
, Andy Baldwin for The Cat Empire ''The Cat Empire''
,
ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year
The ARIA Music Award for Engineer of the Year, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Australian artists across all music genres", and have been given ...
,
, -
, rowspan="2",
2005
File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, ''Two Shoes''
,
ARIA Award for Best Rock Album
The ARIA Music Award for Best Rock Album, is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Indust ...
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, Ben Quinn for The Cat Empire "The Car Song"
,
ARIA Award for Best Video
The ARIA Award for Best Video, is presented at the annual ARIA Awards, which recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It is handed out by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA), an o ...
,
, -
, rowspan="2",
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro 2006 Montenegrin independence referendum, votes to declare ...
, Adam Rhodes for The Cat Empire ''Cities: The Cat Empire Project''
,
ARIA Award for Engineer of the Year
The ARIA Music Award for Engineer of the Year, is an award presented within the Artisan Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Australian artists across all music genres", and have been given ...
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, ''Cities: The Cat Empire Project''
,
ARIA Award for Best World Music Album
The ARIA Music Awards, ARIA Music Award for Best World Music Album, is an award presented within the Fine Arts Awards at the annual ARIA Music Awards. It was inaugurated in ARIA Music Awards of 1995, 1995 as Best Folk/World/Traditional Release. ...
,
, -
, rowspan="1",
2009
File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, ''Live at the Bowl''
,
ARIA Award for Best Music DVD
The ARIA Music Award for Best Music DVD, was an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards, which recognises "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", since 1987. It was handed out by the Australian Recording Indus ...
,
,
, -
, rowspan="1",
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, ''Cinema''
,
ARIA Award for Best Adult Alternative Album
The ARIA Music Award for Best Adult Alternative Album is an award presented at the annual ARIA Music Awards. The ARIA Awards recognise "the many achievements of Aussie artists across all music genres", and have been given by the Australian Reco ...
,
,
, -
National Live Music Awards
The
National Live Music Awards
The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse and successful live industry, celebrating the diversity and success of the Australian live scene – recognising the best vocal talents and musicians alongside ...
(NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.
!
, -
, rowspan="2",
National Live Music Awards of 2018
The National Live Music Awards of 2018 are the third National Live Music Awards. The event took place on 6 December 2018. The event moved its gala event to Brisbane – following events in Sydney and Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ W ...
, The Cat Empire
, Best Live Act of the Year - People's Choice
,
, rowspan="2",
, -
, Harry James Angus (The Cat Empire)
, Best Live Voice of the Year - People's Choice
,
, -
,
National Live Music Awards of 2019
The National Live Music Awards of 2019 are the 4th annual National Live Music Awards.
The nominations were announced on 22 October 2020 and the awards ceremony was held on 4 December 2020. For the first time ever, all State and Territory catego ...
, The Cat Empire
, Live Blues and Roots Act of the Year
,
,
, -
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cat Empire, The
ARIA Award winners
Australian indie rock groups
Australian ska groups
Musical groups established in 1999
Musical groups from Melbourne
1999 establishments in Australia