Rocky Votolato soothed the Basement into a heartfelt music coma on Thursday. Opening for Votolato the Danish solo artist Katrine Ottosen, best known by her moniker – CALLmeKAT. Ottosen seemed a bit timid at first, admitting that this was her first ever performance in Ohio, but quickly warmed up and the crowd certainly warmed up to her. Upon first impression, Ottosen could easily be mistaken for a dark-haired Eisley sister, both in voice and appearance. She certainly has the same powerhouse voice that is balanced by a delicate near whisper. One of her songs, “Tiger Head”, is about the day that she stopped loving living in New York City. Once the city got on her nerves, she wrote this song. She also played a “tribute to Britney Spears”, covering “Toxic” with a slow, seductive beat and haunting vocals. On “When Should We Go”, Ottosen exhibited the most soulful kazoo playing I have ever heard, and something I didn’t think was possible. Her cover of “Stranger” by The Kinks was sung with heartfelt innocence and a dash of heartbreak. Her last song, “Take Me There” sounded like a 1940s Parisian inspired tune and also featured more kazoo. Overall, CALLmeKAT was a delight to listen to and she kept the crowd engaged throughout her set.
Singer-songwriter Rocky Votolato hails from Seattle and has toured with the Get Up Kids, Damien Jurado, Owen, and a number of other amazing people. His latest album, Television of Saints, was successfully funded through Kickstarter and was released April 3rd of this year. Votolato opened his set with “Little Spring”, the first song of the new album and a personal favorite. From the opening note, the crowd was hooked. He followed it up with Television of Saints’ second track, “Ghost Writer”, and sang with such a rich, powerful voice that the only thing I could think to write was “Holy s***, this guy is good.” “Portland is Leaving” and “White Daisy Passing” both featured heartbreakingly beautiful lyrics and melodies.
This show was also Rocky’s first time in Columbus, and he had a number people travel from Cleveland and various cities in Ohio. One of my favorite moments of the show was when he played “Tinfoil Hats”, a song his son helped him write that is about how to keep aliens from reading your mind. Overall, his entire set was phenomenal and included both old and new songs. Votolato has certainly grown as a musician since I first saw him play in my friend’s basement back in 2002 but he has remained consistent in his sound and passion throughout his career. While the crowds have grown, the intimacy of his sets has remained the same, which is what will keep myself and other fans always coming back for more.
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