The waiting audience soon became a karaoke party, screaming the lyrics to 'I Knew You Were Trouble' and 'YMCA'. However, the show began far before Caity Baser graced the stage at Mama Roux’s for the second of her intimate ‘Watch That Girl (She’s Gonna Sing It)’ tour dates.
The star met fans outside the venue, instantly eye-catching in a spectacular neon green fleece - always the rule-breaker as just inside there was a venue sign banning ‘neon activewear’. Pre-show selfies and teary hugs proved a close connection with her fanbase; the slightly dreary Digbeth streets livened up by excited chit chat, hair bows and red and white Caity Baser merch in the ever growing queue.
Caity Baser took to the stage with a graceful entrance in a glamorous deep red dress, soundtracked by a jazz piano solo with hushed exclamations of "she looks amazing". Caity Baser greeted the sold-out venue audience, "Welcome to a night with Caity Baser, a show unlike any you've ever seen from me before". Whilst teasing the upcoming release of her debut album, she promised to share with the audience a vulnerable side previously unseen.
Drawing the crowd in, Caity Baser began with her February release, ‘Watch That Girl (She's Gonna Say It)’. Already, the crowd knew the words, singing along and being conducted by Caity. A performance filled with drama, but with added humorous touches, waving a surprised hi when she notices the full balcony, and twirling and turning as the audience sang back her lyrics with adoration. Whilst the studio track includes an instrumentation of horns, strings, choir and organ, Caity Baser created a truly intimate feel with a slowed-down piano and vocal rendition.
Compared to previous EP’s and mixtapes, Caity Baser explained the writing and recording process of the album, with pop duo Oh Wonder, “felt different” as she was “speaking about stuff [she] will never get over”. A conscious move away from angsty pop, Caity Baser shared a new track 'Story Of Her', exploring difficult family relationships with a soulful ballad. Bringing a new vulnerability, this unreleased music initially received a stunned silence from the crowd. Asking the audience "did you like that one", they responded with massive cheers of approval.
Next up was another unreleased track, ‘You Don’t Know a Thing About Me’, before returning to familiarity with her 2023 hit, 'X&Y’. Caity Baser’s bold shift in musical direction to raw, honest storytelling was showcased in ‘The Weight of You (I’m Glad You Died)’, sharing how her past has shaped the way she views love, wanting to now feel empowered not embarrassed. The gut-wrenching track would not have felt out of place as the ‘sad song’ in a piece of musical theatre, cries of ‘I love you’ from the crowd and supportive cheers as Caity Baser bared her soul to the Birmingham audience; “every body has a past”. Acting as a sequel, ‘Drank Me Dry’ brought jazz-infused harmony, scat singing and passionate high-notes to a story of the “stupid fool that drank me dry”.
The connection with the audience in this intimate show was felt throughout, sharing candidly about her nervousness to share a new style of music Caity Baser said; “Thank you for making me feel so safe. Genuinely, when I feel like sh*t I speak to you guys, I love you guys so much I feel like I can be myself.” After a slowed-down version of ‘Kiss You’ which felt more like a group karaoke - the audience knew every word - Caity Baser confessed a secret, she has “fallen in love”. ‘As I Am’ acted as a change of tone away from songs telling of a traumatic past to a love ballad about the man who she proclaimed “healed my angry heart”. Always authentic, Caity Baser quickly switched from soulful, passionate performer to coyly giggling at the screams of the crowd. Next up were gorgeous performances of ‘Oh Well’ and unreleased track, ‘Beautiful Girl’, before the iconic piano bassline of ‘Pretty Boys’ prompted the loudest crowd reaction of the night. The piano texture built the energy as the audience took the vocals as if they had spent their life rehearsing for this very moment.
Caity Baser’s latest release, ‘Running From Myself’ closed the set after an impromptu crowd interview. Reminiscent of RAYE, the track brought bigger textures on piano and synth strings, a gorgeous soundscape that promises exciting musical opportunities for larger shows. The balcony danced along, the crowd already confident of the words less than a week after the single’s release. With a promise of a meet and greet and air kisses to the audience, a queue quickly formed of fans eager to meet Caity and share their thoughts on music from the upcoming album.
This new direction promises authentic, honest but equally as iconic new music, with her debut album coming soon, Caity Baser’s 2025 is filled with music not worth missing.
Maisy Neale
Images: Finn Delisle
