Having recently made a rare return to stages in Melbourne & Perth during November of last year, purveyers & legends of pop punk (& one of Australia’s first indie crossover chart success stories), RATCAT have decided the party isn’t over quite yet, announcing an encore performance back in the city where it all started – Sydney! Having last celebrated a live return in 2011 with their 20th anniversary of the release of the number 1 album ‘Blind Love’, this time it’ll be a musical school reunion of sorts as RATCAT are joined by their very special guests… long time friends & indie pop stars in their own respective rights, SMUDGE and the very talented Miss ALANNAH RUSSACK (of legends, The Hummingbirds).
Performing many songs from the span of their career, it’s a one off not to be missed with full details as follows:
IMC Presents
RATCAT – ‘A Sydney Encore’
+ Special Guests & Friends, SMUDGE + ALANNAH RUSSACK
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 13th, 2015 – FACTORY THEATRE (105 Victoria Road, Marrickville)
Purchase Tickets via link below – Factory Theatre Box Office:
http://www.factorytheatre.com.au
OR Phone Bookings: (02) 9550 3666.
LIMITED CAPACITY – ON SALE RIGHT NOW
A Short History
Although it is a very rare occurrence to catch this ground breaking Australian act performing live, RATCAT remain permanently placed in the indie hall of fame for having dragged Australian music culture out of a stagnant pub rock 80’s phase and bringing alternate pop/punk guitar rock to the masses during the late 80’s / early 1990’s. Being at the forefront of an international musical change of direction that witnessed the boundaries between the independent and commercial sectors literally smashed to oblivion, RATCAT’s incredible rise to popularity was the result of public demand, and with virtually no mass label marketing (at the time). After a spate of independent releases via the Waterfront Label, , RATCAT released the ground breaking ‘Tingles’ EP in 1990 which – & with no fanfare whatsoever – made a steady climb to the top of the National Top Forty after 7 months – eventually reaching the coveted number 1 spot. ‘Tingles’ thereafter scored the accolade of becoming the highest selling EP of that year. Featuring the ‘sleeper’ hit ‘That Ain’t Bad’ (& with the original video featuring one of the first ‘acting’ performances for current international star, Naomi Watts), it was a bizarre & heady period completely unexpected by RATCAT.
The subsequent 1991 release of the ‘Blind Love’ album resulted in yet another (although this time immediate) number 1 ARIA chart result and and again, to the complete surprise of the band members and all involved at the time, RATCAT also scored a coinciding duel number one with the single ‘Don’t Go Now’ (aria singles charts). History writes that the last local band to have achieved the same was INXS (during the 80’s) and thereafter, the next was to be Savage Garden. The difference being that considering RATCAT’s alternative background, it was an achievement that broke all rules! Although we could continue for many paragraphs regarding RATCAT’s amazing feats, their success was mirrored internationally by Nirvana nine months later, and despite Nirvana scoring the international accolades, the impact RATCAT had on the Australia music scene in the early ‘90s remains historically significant and undeniable.
A generation has passed since the release of those heady but fabulous days, and albeit that careers have veered in different directions, RATCAT look forward to reuniting again in their hometown of Sydney.
