The Very Best of Fantastic Cat easily made it to my 2022 year-end list, so it was a no-brainer to catch NYC supergroup Fantastic Cat live during their European tour this week. We knew Anthony D’Amato, Brian Dunne, Don DiLego and Hollis Brown’s Mike Montali had something to offer, but they more than live up to expectations on stage together. With self-mockery and humor (“We all have our own careers, but wanted to know what it’s like to earn a quarter of what we normally do”), but above all with a lot of fun and craftsmanship they entertain the audience with their appealing indie folk rock music. With only the mentioned debut LP under their belt (“That’s why we could call it Best Of”) they couldn’t build a 90-minute set, so they also play a few new tracks, covers of The Bee Gee’s To Love Somebody and Warren Zevon’s Keep Me In Your Heart, and some successful tunes from their individual projects. With a big smile they dance around each other to take over instruments from each other between songs, meanwhile joking which of them is the best – an impossible choice, because they all write, sing and play in an amazing way.
To give you an idea of what you missed, the band has now released an EP with 4 tracks recorded at The Bowery Ballroom in their hometown. In addition to the well-known C’mon Armageddon and Fiona, you’ll hear 2 newcomers, All My Fault and Goodnight My Darling, showing that the winsome musicians continue on the same level.
Live At The Bowery Ballroom is out on 7″ vinyl (self-released). Add to wantlist: Fantastic Cat
Please also watch the performance of standout track Fiona, with below a photo that I took at the end of the show I attended.
