The appeal of Kaia Kater in the UK showed its strength with a near sold out show at the Kitchen Garden in Birmingham on the opening night of her three-week tour. This year is set to be a special one for the New York-based Canadian with the spring release of a new album to follow up the highly acclaimed 2019 record GRENADES. A tie up with US label Free Dirt Records is a good fit as they continually champion roots artists of the highest calibre. She was returning to a venue last played in 2018 which itself was a follow on from appearing at the previous year's Moseley Folk Festival. Back then the format was a duo show with bassist Andrew Ryan, and the same line up was in place for the renewal.
Across two sets, a wide mixture of songs were played including a selection from her previous album and its predecessor NINE PINS, joining a handful of covers, in addition to several new tracks set to feature on the new album. Leading the way with the new material was the first single 'The Internet' accompanied by its lockdown origin story inspired by an aborted online show. Throughout the evening, Kater was appreciative and informative in her inter-song chat showing an acute knack of bonding with an audience patient for her live return especially as there was a cancelled lockdown gig.
The trademark banjo featured on a bulk of the songs interspersed with the odd use of acoustic guitar and a couple of occasions where sharing only her vocals was deemed necessary. All along the impeccable timing of Ryan on stand up double bass created a layered backdrop for the music to flourish.
For those attending their first gig of the year, a high bar was set as Kaia Kater is sure to woo many an audience on the roots circuit across both sides of the Atlantic this coming year.
