CAITY BASER + MICHAEL ALDAG – CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON 7.4.23
If you are of a certain age and TikTok is your thing, then the name Caity Baser is one that you will be more than familiar with, as each of her songs regularly achieve in excess of a million streams.
Caity’s viral hit singles ‘Friendly Sex’ and ‘X & Y’ both helped the Southampton-born, Brighton based singer become the name on everyone’s lips last summer, but it was her live performances at Reading & Leeds festivals – just before two sold-out shows at London’s XOYO – which captured the attention of the UK and beyond. Her shows were met with packed-out crowds screaming every lyric of her songs back at her, with fans clearly closely identifying with Caity and her no-holds-barred, no filter approach to her music and her personality.
This is indeed the case this evening at the Concorde 2 where Caity has elected to begin her debut headline tour, which is titled ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ after her 2023 6-track extended EP, or as she referred to it as her “new mixtape”. After tonight Caity and her two chums, Nat on guitar and Ollie on drums plus electronic drum pads, will be off to Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, Newcastle, Dublin, Leeds, Southampton, before concluding at O2 Forum Kentish Town, London on Thursday 20th April.
Caity has clearly come a long way since she posted her first TikTok videos during the first UK lockdown, she’s now signed to EMI Records, and released her single ‘Kiss You’ last November amidst a flurry of national press and radio coverage by the likes of The Guardian, Rolling Stone UK, CLASH, The Independent, BBC Radio 1, BBC Introducing, Capital FM and more. A subsequent version, ‘Kiss You, Pt. 2’, was released at the end of December, which was hotly followed by ‘2020s’ in mid January.
NME selected her as one of their NME 100 – a handpicked selection of acts who will change the face of music in 2023. Caity was also the digital cover star of The Line Of Best Fit, who proclaimed: “Caity Baser is having her main character moment”, stating that she is “here to start a new pop revolution built on sincerity and zero bullshit”. Record Of The Day said “‘Friendly Sex’ is the fun and outspoken pop track you need to hear. One to watch”, while Notion Magazine praised that Caity “brings a fresh sound that is wholly her own…furious, f*ck-you energy”.
With Caity destined for bigger and better things, the Brighton & Hove News Music Team made our way towards the East of the City just before Brighton Marina, to the aforementioned Concorde 2, in order to ascertain whether it was indeed a “Good Friday” for this rising star.
Her set commenced at 8:30pm and concluded 63 minutes later at 9:33pm after Caity and friends had given keen fans 14 numbers to take away as memories. As the trio took to the stage (Caity bringing up the rear a minute after Nat & Ollie) their intro tape was a harp and birdsong, an indication that the fans will be heading to music heaven no doubt. Thus from this moment 100’s of mobile phones were raised in the air in anticipation of securing the memory of Caity’s first moments on her debut headline tour.
The flashing strobe lights at the rear signified that they were ready to begin and on bounded Caity sporting a baby blue backcombed woollen number atop of a white skirt. There was a fourth person whizzing around across the stage and photographers pit and into the crowd, this was a videographer who was also capturing the scene. I haven’t heard that it was live streamed, so possibly some of this footage will be used in forthcoming videos, I’m sure her fans will already know this or will do shortly.
They opened with the 2022 single ‘Friendly Sex’ which was delivered in a talky rap vocal style. Caity and her chums got an immediate boost via the deafening roar from the young crowd after they had finished the song. It’s going to be one of those events and what a fabulous start for her debut headline tour.
Caity told us that tonight is “a kinda hometown gig” and that she used to ride her bike past the Concorde 2 and wished that she was able to play in this venue. Clearly today WAS a “Good Friday” for her!
Tune two was ‘Feel More Okay’, the first of all six tunes from her recent ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP. This was swiftly followed by ‘That’s What Friends Are For’ (also from the EP) and this wasn’t as bouncy as its predecessor. It’s at this point that she is given a bunch of flowers by a keen fan, which is followed by a guy in the crowd loudly exclaiming “Caity you’re 10 out of 10” and the crowd loudly scream their approval of this. From “10 out of 10” we headed to ‘2020’s’, the third tune performed from the EP, which was a solely number.
After this, Caity got a hold of two or three fans’ mobile phones and took photos of her with them as well as shots of her and the crowd. I thought that this was an endearing touch and this was a good indication of Caity’s kind nature. She’s a likeable bubbly bouncy person that is no doubt great fun to be around.
Song five was ‘Average Student’, the first of four tunes played from her 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album’. For this Ollie switches his drumkit for the electronic drum pads and Caity informs us that the little teddy on the drums is called ‘Baby Rae’ and introduces the other little furry friends. She obviously felt that she needed cheering up at this point as the song was penned as a result of sadness at a time when she was in love. It’s a slowie number that didn’t sound too different to Lana Del Rey. The crowd raised their arms and waved them side to side as Caity sang “Three-six-five, three-six-five, three-six-five; I’m just your average student; Three-six-five, three-six-five, three-six-five; I don’t know what I’m doing”.
‘Virtually’ (a 2022 single) was given an outing next and was swiftly followed by ‘Haters’ (from 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album), after which we were in for a real treat as Caity told us, in the form of a brand new song that nobody has heard before and it’s titled ‘Leave Me Alone’ and after just a few seconds Bobby McFerrin’s ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’ jumped into my head as a similar sounding tune. But then I would guess half way through, they suddenly stopped playing! Had they forgotten the rest of the song? Nope! They did something that I have never witnessed before. Caity asked the audience to get their mobile phones out and post the photos that they had just taken and ask Caity to “finish the tune”!. Novel approach eh?.
Song nine was, as it turned out to be, my favourite track of the night. It’s from her ‘Lil CB’ album and called ‘STD’. Yes it’s about that as Caity informed us, citing an old boyfriend! Move on….. The track has a wonderful rocksteady beat and would sit nicely in with a mixtape that included a host of tracks by Gentleman’s Dub Club, plus Shaggy’s ‘It Wasn’t Me’ (from 2000), Lily Allen’s ‘Smile’ (from 2006), and Musical Youth’s ‘Pass The Dutchie’ (from 1982, and yet is sitting an No. 21 in this week’s Vinyl Singles Chart). Here is a track that has turned a negative into a real positive, which probably sums up Caity’s nature.
It was the turn of her ‘X & Y’ bouncy earworm from the EP next, however according to the setlist it was referred to as ‘X & Y Medley’. I guess fans will know the extra bits. As with all of Caity’s tunes, they are written about her life and the things happening around her from time to time. This track brings to the fore of incompatibility between her and another person. It’s a statement of fact and angrily states “You’re not my X, you’re just my Y; Like, why’d you f*ck up my whole life?; ‘Cause I’m a ten and you’re a five; You’re not my X, you’re just my Y”.
Another crowd favourite followed in the form of ‘Say It Like That’, after which we had a mashup of ‘Kiss You Pt2’ / ’Kiss You’, which saw Caity push Nat to the front in order to show off her guitar skills, which I was pleasantly surprised with.
Her current hit single ‘Pretty Boys’, which is on its seventh week on the UK Singles Chart, sitting at No.29, was the room full of mobile phones raised in the air. It’s another bouncy number that saw all the young girls in the audience loudly singing along in tune. Caity then thanked everyone for coming to the concert and that there were presents ready and waiting for them on the way out. She vacated the stage and Nat and Ollie played us out for about a minute and that was it. Folks made their way out of the venue and sure enough there was a lady handing out the presents of eyeliner to everyone. What a lovely touch! Suffice to say I gave mine to our photographer Emma. It had been a pleasant night out for all concerned.
Caity Baser band:
Caity Baser – vocals
Ollie – drums and drum pads
Nat – guitar
Caity Baser setlist:
‘Friendly Sex’ ( a 2022 single)
‘Feel More Okay’ (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘That’s What Friends Are For’ (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘2020s’ (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘Average Student’ (from 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album)
‘Virtually’ (a 2022 single)
‘Haters’ (from 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album)
‘Leave Me Alone’ (unreleased)
‘STD’ (from 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album)
‘X & Y Medley’ (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘Say It Like That’ (from 2021 ‘Lil CB’ album)
‘Kiss You Pt2’ / ’Kiss You’ (a 2022 single / (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘Pretty Boys’ (from 2023 ‘Thanks For Nothing, See You Never’ EP)
‘Playoff’ (brief outro by Ollie & Nat)
Support this evening came from Michael Aldag, who prior to this evening I hadn’t actually heard of. Turns out he is a likeable young lad from Liverpool with distinctive flowing ginger locks and he dropped his six tune 10” blue vinyl ‘Socializing’ EP last November.
His 25 minute set consisted of seven numbers which ran from 7:45pm until 8:10pm. Michael being the frontperson was on vocals and he was joined by two friends, Harry Howell on guitar and Ellie East on stand-up drums like Georgia, plus there was electronic backing coming from somewhere. I’m sure Michael was pleased with the turnout for his set, as it seems that a large proportion of fans had arrived on time in order to witness his set.
Michael equally Caity with boundless energy and engaged with the punters equally well, even jumping off stage into the photographers pit as early as the second song. His voice reminded me of Robert Smith from The Cure.
He informed us that his track ‘Apathy’ (which was the third number) was about his anxiety. It was the best so far. He explained that the next number was penned about a love in his life and was in reference to a girl he fancied at university that was living in his flat. This was a slower number than the others.
Michael then proudly boasted that the next song had been released today and was called ‘Girlfriends’ and was about wanting to have loads of them! It’s a catchy number with a memorable chorus “Mia, Tia, Leah, and Izabelle; I can’t, I can’t help myself…” and if heard on the radio, it will neatly lodge itself into your unconscious mind, and then at times you will strangely find yourself singing it!
His penultimate number was called ‘Promenade’ and he explained that Liverpool has the sea too and that he had his heart broken on the promenade in Liverpool. I wonder which one it was….“Mia, Tia, Leah, and Izabelle”. He left us with his most bangin’ choon, ‘Ghosted’, which saw the crowd in handclap mode. It’s likely you will hear more about Michael in the coming year or so!
Michael Aldag band:
Michael Aldag – vocals
Ellie East – electronic drums and drum pads
Harry Howell – guitar
Michael Aldag setlist:
?? (unknown)
?? (unknown)
‘Apathy’
?? (unknown)
‘Girlfriends’
‘Promenade’
‘Ghosted’
