I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: April 16, 2025] Katie Gavin 

I Katie Gavin is the singer for Muna.  I didn’t really like the Muna album that much when it came out, but I was really impressed by their live show when I saw them at All Things Go a few years ago.

I felt kind of the same about the Katie Gavin album.  It was okay, but it didn’t excite me all that much.

In fact, I really wanted to see Jasmine.4.T because their song Elephant is one of my favorites this year.  Sadly, I didn’t realize the show started at 7:15 (I assumed 8) and when we rolled up at 7:45, Jasmine.4.T had already ended.

When Katie came out, she was met by thunderous applause, and as soon as she started performing, I was once again blown away by her stage presence.  She joked that people might not know who she is (the applause belied that).

I didn’t love Katie’s album as it leans a little too alt-country for me.  But as with anyone whose albums lean alt-country but who also rock out, in a live setting, the rocking comes to the fore.  And her four-piece band was outstanding, Both bassist Nana Adjoa and guitarist Eric Radloff provided backing vocals.  Adjoa even took a verse or two of some songs (she has a wonderful voice).

Katie switched to keyboards for the bouncy (with slinky melody) Sanitized.  It featured a wild guitar solo and some fantastic drumming from Sarab Singh.  For inconsolable, Katie switched to fiddle.

She switched to the shruti box, a fascinating instrument for Sweet Abby Girl.  The shruti box is an Indian version of a harmonium [it does not have keys, so the drone cannot be changed easily).  Nana played keys on this delightful song.

Back to the fiddle for The Baton (so, yes there was definitely a country vibe) and then the final song Aftertaste rocked a little harder than the others.  But really, the show is all about Katie and her ability to win over a crowd almost instantly.  She is charming and funny and exceedingly warm and welcoming.

And, we’d get to see her again a little later during Lucy’s set.

This was the first night of the Lucy Dacus tour and Katie played 8 songs for us.  As the tour progressed, she would add more songs to her set, but this was a fun start and the crowd was thoroughly invested.

1. Casual Drug Use ©
2. As Good As It Gets ©
3. She Gives Me Feelings (unreleased)
4. Sanitized (piano) ©
5. Inconsolable (fiddle) ©
6. Sweet Abby Girl (shruti box) ©
7. The Baton (fiddle) ©
8. Aftertaste ©

© What a Relief 2024

♥ Forever is a Feeling (2025)
Ô Home Video (2021)
ℵ 2019 (2019)
⇔ Historian (2018)
⊗ No Burden (2016)