British bombshell Laurel Arnell-Cullen captivated The Night Cat with raw emotion and powerhouse vocals.
The first thing you notice about Laurel is her distinctly Hampshire accent, the second thing – soon after – is that accent giving way to hurricane-force vocals that devour the room.
Rocking Vivienne Westwood-esque plaid and sunglasses that looked suspiciously like safety gear (but probably cost more than my car), Laurel immediately established herself as a force to be reckoned with. The stripped-back two-piece setup – just her and a drummer – might have seemed underpowered on paper, but when those vocals kick in, you could have a full orchestra backing her and you couldn’t look away.
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The setlist was a rollercoaster through her catalogue, punctuated by charming false starts on Best I Ever Had and Only One. These technical hiccups only amplified the raw, unfiltered experience. Her guitar work on earlier tracks like Deathwish showcased the haunting intensity that’s made her a cult favourite since her 2016 EP Park, while new track Bitter hinted at exciting evolutions to come.
Sun King delivered the night’s most gut-wrenching moment. Already an emotional sledgehammer, the song’s connection to her fiancé added layers of resonance that left punters slack-jawed. Her restrained yet powerful guitar work here was nothing short of masterful – so restrained, it still managed to be guttural and primal one moment, delicately ethereal the next. Laurel proves that even in popular music, less remains more.
Between sonic assaults, Laurel professed her love for Melbourne, crowning it her favourite Australian city. She reminisced about a previous gig where memory failed her mid-song, only for the crowd to sing her entire setlist with her. That connection with fans reached its apex towards the end, as she wove through the audience with phone torches illuminating her path like some indie-rock messiah.
The Night Cat’s in-the-round configuration proved the perfect vessel for Laurel’s particular brand of magic, allowing her to create spine-tingling intimacy despite the packed house. In an era where gigs can cost a week’s rent, this night offered real value – a world-class talent in a venue small enough to catch every whisper, scream and soul-baring moment.
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