Despite being bafflingly novel and inherently kooky, the Australian sextet are inherently danceable and ideal for seducing first-time crowds across the globe. A perfect choice, then, to launch the outdoor season at Dubai’s hottest alfresco venue Zero Gravity, with a one off-gig tonight.
Formed in Melbourne at the turn of the millennium, the band released six albums, conquered Down Under and went on to become a festival mainstay across Europe and South America. Frontman and MC Felix Riebel says touring new locations reconfirms the band’s mission, which is to simply celebrate and have fun.
Thursday’s gig will be the first time you have performed in the UAE. Do you have any expectations about first-time crowds?
I don’t know what to expect from you, I really have an open mind. The Cat Empire are a very, very well-travelled band and it’s normally quite an occasion when we play in a new place, so I think everyone is really quite curious and excited to start the tour in Dubai – it will be the first time we’ve left the doors of the airport.
Do you find a big difference between the crowds at home and overseas?
Yes. At home you always have more of the history trailing behind you. There’s a different kind of pressure doing shows in Australia, but as soon as I leave, a lot of that seems to vanish and I get into the spirit of what the band is – an enjoyment of the energetic and celebratory nature of the shows.
You’ve got some competition tonight, with Bon Jovi playing down the road in Abu Dhabi.
Today I went back to my father's place and cleared out this container of such nostalgic rubbish. I filled up this whole lorry and it all went into this huge bin. Then I went to get a sandwich afterwards and they were playing the Bon Jovi song Bed of Roses. It was such a funny moment – I found myself laughing, at Bon Jovi and that song, based on the fact I'd just been to the tip. But I like Bon Jovi, I think he writes great lyrics and I'm a bit of a sucker for that kind of rock. I'm not intimidated by him being in town the same night, though – I welcome it. Maybe it will weed out the people who wouldn't make our show that fun anyway.
Speaking of nostalgia, how much longer do you think The Cat Empire will exist?
No one thought The Cat Empire would last this long, myself included, and yet the audiences keep on growing and becoming almost more generous – there’s like a ritual around the shows when The Cat Empire tours, people really prepare for them, they expect to celebrate this music and bring something to them. It’s very difficult to leave that kind of generosity behind. So we’re sort of on borrowed time.
If you were to play in another band, who and what would you choose?
I’d like to be a part of Leonard Cohen’s band. I would love to perform a role, playing percussion or keys – I think it would be a very beautiful and quiet experience, and I value that just as much as I do The Cat Empire and being a festival band. I’m catching up with [folk singer] Martha Wainwright tonight. She’s close to him, but that’s about as close as I’ve got.
• The Cat Empire perform at Zero Gravity tonight, doors from 8pm. Dh130 from platinumlist.ae, Dh170 on the door
rgarratt@thenational.ae
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
How to keep control of your emotions
If your investment decisions are being dictated by emotions such as fear, greed, hope, frustration and boredom, it is time for a rethink, Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at online trading platform IG, says.
Greed
Greedy investors trade beyond their means, open more positions than usual or hold on to positions too long to chase an even greater gain. “All too often, they incur a heavy loss and may even wipe out the profit already made.
Tip: Ignore the short-term hype, noise and froth and invest for the long-term plan, based on sound fundamentals.
Fear
The risk of making a loss can cloud decision-making. “This can cause you to close out a position too early, or miss out on a profit by being too afraid to open a trade,” he says.
Tip: Start with a plan, and stick to it. For added security, consider placing stops to reduce any losses and limits to lock in profits.
Hope
While all traders need hope to start trading, excessive optimism can backfire. Too many traders hold on to a losing trade because they believe that it will reverse its trend and become profitable.
Tip: Set realistic goals. Be happy with what you have earned, rather than frustrated by what you could have earned.
Frustration
Traders can get annoyed when the markets have behaved in unexpected ways and generates losses or fails to deliver anticipated gains.
Tip: Accept in advance that asset price movements are completely unpredictable and you will suffer losses at some point. These can be managed, say, by attaching stops and limits to your trades.
Boredom
Too many investors buy and sell because they want something to do. They are trading as entertainment, rather than in the hope of making money. As well as making bad decisions, the extra dealing charges eat into returns.
Tip: Open an online demo account and get your thrills without risking real money.
Essentials
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Delhi from about Dh950 return including taxes.
The hotels
Double rooms at Tijara Fort-Palace cost from 6,670 rupees (Dh377), including breakfast.
Doubles at Fort Bishangarh cost from 29,030 rupees (Dh1,641), including breakfast. Doubles at Narendra Bhawan cost from 15,360 rupees (Dh869). Doubles at Chanoud Garh cost from 19,840 rupees (Dh1,122), full board. Doubles at Fort Begu cost from 10,000 rupees (Dh565), including breakfast.
The tours
Amar Grover travelled with Wild Frontiers. A tailor-made, nine-day itinerary via New Delhi, with one night in Tijara and two nights in each of the remaining properties, including car/driver, costs from £1,445 (Dh6,968) per person.
