Paul Dempsey, the singer, guitarist and principal songwriter of Something for Kate, will perform his first ever solo South West dates next month.
His Perth has show already sold-out, and Dempsey told the Mail the gigs were his last before heading back into the studio with the band.
“The new Something for Kate record has really been the focus at the moment. I’ve been shut up in doors, working away writing and sometimes you just know you are going to get stir crazy and you put something in calendar to look forward to,” he said.
“Getting out and playing is a circuit breaker so that’s what these shows are.
“It’s also a chance to see if the writing is going along well and to maybe try out some of our new stuff.”
Dempsey has released six top 10 platinum and gold records with Something for Kate.
During this time, Dempsey has also consistently played solo shows and toured in solo mode.
Despite having a solo extension of his music, Dempsey said at no stage was the band ever not together.
“I guess because I make solo records it is easy for people to think Something for Kate has disbanded and that’s never been the case,” he said.
“We’ve sort of fallen into this unofficial pattern where we do a Something for Kate record and then I release a solo one and back and forth.”
He said each of the band having their own creative outlet meant their fire for their music still burned bright.
“It means Something for Kate is always fresh and we are never just going through the motions,” he said.
“We honestly just do it when we are enthused and excited about doing it.
“We are never better. It makes us even more passionate about it as we aren’t stuck in it, we don’t have to do it. We do when all three of us are genuinely into it.”
Dempsey’s first solo outing was 2009’s Everything is True, which debuted at number five on the Australian Record Industry charts.
The record earned him a slew of award nominations and was followed up by 2016’s Strange Loop, which also received rave reviews.
Strange Loop debuted at number five on the charts and is heading towards gold sales, where it will join Everything is True, which is pushing close to platinum sales.
Following the release, he performed sold-out shows in London, played festivals in India and embarked on a solo acoustic regional tour.
Dempsey said the beauty of performing solo was the spontaneity and relaxed feeling of gigs.
“It is so easy as it is just me and my guitar – I don’t even have a set list half the time,” he said.
“Some of my solo shows almost become a stand-up comedy show because there isn’t that pressure to play the next song because I have two other people waiting for me.
“I get chatting, have a few drinks and sometimes things take a ridiculous turn and go in whatever direction they go in and I like to go there with them.”
Paul Dempsey will play The Prince of Wales, Bunbury, on May 3, and The River, Margaret River, on May 4.
Tickets are available from pauldempseymusic.com.
