Review – Loren Kate

Loren Kate is free spirit, explorer and Adelaide born-and-bred songstress who released her third album Moving On in 2013, thanks to the wonders of crowd-funding, and has been on tour around the country sharing songs and stories from the album since. And she was here for an exclusive show with the Fringe to share her music on a night like no other.

On this warm Monday night, I walked into the Paradiso Spiegeltent with about a hundred or so other people to listen. What we did not expect was to have a show and tell. On a whim Kate decided that for Fringe exclusively she would do her entire show in the nude wearing nothing but briefs, body paint and a huge guitar covering her. She got wild applause from the audience for her brave decision, who cared more for the message she brought than her naked form on the stage. Behind her was a huge blank canvas while a local artist (later introduced as Rafaela) began to paint with large strokes of her brush.

Then Kate began to share her story. I loved the fact that it intertwined with each song she sang, and that with each song the painter was encouraged to add more depth to the painting. Kate told of her childhood, her brother’s demons, her journey to Darwin, finding love, raising a child and her father’s death. And she serenaded the audience with every song, in her gentle voice that sounded to me like a melding together of Casey Chambers, Missy Higgins and Tracey Chapman (the third one maybe because of the dreadlocks). I don’t think I have ever heard anyone sing like that. What was moving was not just the songs but hearing of the love, joy, heartache and pain behind each song that made it all the more special.

She may not do a nude show for Fringe ever again but her voice will still be just as awe inspiring. Make sure to catch up with her where you can.