My Baby’s Cato Van Dyck
As Amsterdam maniacs My Baby bring the bayou voodoo funk in full force in the Arts Club’s attic, Getintothis’ Gary Lambert is left itching to see them again.
When a band’s first words on stage is the announcement: “we are going to do what we call a voodoo ceremony”, you just know that you are in for a night. The male two thirds of this triumvirate then start with the voodoo funk which is to be the musical motif of the evening to summon singer and star of My Baby, Cato van Dyke, to the stage. As entrances go it was more than you would usually expect from a band playing Arts Club’s Loft.
Once all three are on stage together for No Depression, there’s an imperceptible signal through the band as they kick into a gear which makes the audience start to groove. The leader of this groove is undoubtedly drummer Joost, brother of Cato, who never misses a beat nor tries to take over the attention with elaborate solo work. All night long his drumming is hypnotic, as though he’s in charge of keeping the bayou voodoo going and stopping the real world from reclaiming the souls of My Baby’s supporters.
A two song mid-set slow down, Mary Morgan and Hidden From Time, gives the opportunity for the band to show off their subtlety with guitarist Daniel Johnston (not that one) sitting down and the sweet beauty of Cato’s voice coming to the fore. After this is finished they bring back the sexy bayou funk with a cover of Bob Dylan’s Masters of War. A sumptuous amalgamation of all the key proponents of My Baby’s sound, it could have been a wild set closer any day of the week. Such is the quality of the night this was just another song.
Even though it’s only a moderately busy evening at Arts Club, such is the intensity generated from My Baby that regularly I see people moving out to the bar area not to get a drink, but just to have a moment to themselves. Considering there’s only three people on stage, the sound they create is shockingly powerful and unconventional.
As the band move through to their set closer pairing of Seeing Red and Leave For Good bringing together tracks from their albums Loves Voodoo and Shamanaid, it’s obvious that they’re having fun on stage. Once they’ve finished that medley, the band still have time to jam and keep it going. The audience aren’t not going to disapprove.
I have to see My Baby again after this. A bayou funk rave is the best way I could describe the night. Doesn’t that make you want to try them too?
Photos by Getintothis’ Billy James
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- My Baby’s Cato Van Dyck
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- My Baby
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- My Baby
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