Rock City is ‘Still Learning’ with it’s iconic stage clad in giant red balloons framing an even larger L plate, you can already tell this night is going to meet a new level of fun.
And the fun starts with the sensational Talia Mar asking the crowd if there are any 'Bad Bitches here tonight? Of course there are and we all start to move as she belts out her hits "Stay the Night," "Sweet Life," and "Forget About Your Ex," before leading an electrifying rendition of TLC's "No Scrubs."
The pre-set playlist amps up the excitement with anthems like Taylor Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble," The Weather Girls' "Raining Men," and Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman!" As the crowd throws some Ys and As to the YMCA by The Village People, anticipation fills the room as the ambiance darkens and cheers erupt. The electric atmosphere heralds the arrival of the enigmatic Caity Baser.
Caity is a riot, starting the night off as a silhouette, striking poses behind the giant L, to disembodied voices who shun her for her supposed lack of talent. This, of course, is all screamed over by the adoring fans, quite literally silencing the haters, and Caity joins right in, smashing through the Giant L plate with a baseball bat, jumping out of it singing ‘I'm a problem’ from her mixtape 'Still Learning' which is 'number 7 in the fucking charts by the way'. It is clear that Caity is, in fact, very talented and does indeed have ‘big dick energy’.
Her personality is a party, effervescent as she dances up and down the stage, waving and blowing kisses to everyone in the crowd. Between songs, Caity tells us a few stories, explaining that it's been a stressful day and had to get ready in half an hour after coming up from London. She applauds the crowd on how loud they are, saying ‘this is batshit crazy’. Despite her busy schedule she has the energy of a firework show and all the spectacular that comes with one.
Her infectious energy permeates her music, as she takes the audience on a journey through catchy beats and witty lyrics. She tells us how she wasted 3 years on a boy to end up liking his best friend, describing a FaceTime call she had with boy number one, comedically acting out how she had been doing her makeup at the time as he was increasingly getting angrier, using it to introduce a song which got her into a lot of trouble, 'Why Can't I have two?' which hosts my favourite musical line of the year 'man don't like to share you nah, have you never heard of something called ménage à trois' it defines the feel-good fun, whip-like wit and insatiable sound that Caity has become renowned for.
Caity introduces the next song, X and Y, which, despite her powerful vocals, the crowd definitely take the lead on chanting each and every word, one of the many electric moments of the night. In between sharing musical anecdotes, Caity adds a hilarious twist by serenading someone in the audience with a rendition of "Happy Birthday." She then turns the spotlight on her band members, Ollie and Louie, coaxing them to introduce themselves with a quirky prompt: their favorite sex position. Not stopping there, she proceeds to teach the audience a new pose, resulting in a room full of people enthusiastically punching the air while belting out "123... C'mon!" It's an unexpected and uproarious sight that somehow feels surprisingly fun in the company of others.
Masterfully blending candid comedy with her musical performance, Caity keeps the crowd in stitches. From her clever jokes to her self-assured antics, she effortlessly transitions from serious talent to best friend confidence, sipping warm water and honey whilst striking ‘strong man’ poses and proudly declaring herself a ‘singer’. The audience responds with resounding approval, solidifying the unique and entertaining experience Caity delivers.
She take us through rock edge and empowering 'Grow Up', pop-tastic 'Pretty Boys' and the unapologetically risqué "DILF" which delves into a cheeky narrative, drawing from real-life experiences, controversial and one you wouldn't play at your partner's parents' house, but that's what makes it all the more enjoyable.
A pinata heart is put up, and Caity's baseball bat makes another appearance as she tells us the story about a boy she liked who had her questioning how he felt, she introduces this track with a PSA ‘if you are questioning if someone likes you, they don't fucking like you’, cheerfully smashing the heart which explodes with confetti before singing ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’, which sees the audience alight with phone torches.
As the night unfolds, a poignant moment emerges as technical difficulties interrupt the performance of fan favourite "Friendly Sex." Undeterred, micless Caity's unwavering spirit and booming vocals resonate through the crowd, culminating in a tear-jerking moment on a very fun night,as a stadium full of voices sings each word, carrying the entirety of the track, conducted by a captivated Caity.
Another standout moment came when Caity, a fun and vibrant character, tells us that the world is ‘a bit shit right now’, teaching us that it is okay to not always feel the ebullient energy that empowers her to do what she does and pracitsing some mindfulness breathing exercises before singing ‘Oh well’.
Her final song of the night is another emotional one, she introduces by asking us to look to the left and to the right and hug whoever is on our side, which found me hugging a stranger, she shouts ‘I wrote this one for you guys’ as she sings ‘I’ll Be Here for You’.
Although Caity is ‘Still Learning’, it is clear there is a lot we can actually learn from her,with her ‘Big Dick Energy’, her witty songs, and comedic stories maybe we can all learn to be a bit more like the iconic, Caity Baser.
We have a favour to ask
LeftLion is Nottingham’s meeting point for information about what’s going on in our city, from the established organisations to the grassroots. We want to keep what we do free to all to access, but increasingly we are relying on revenue from our readers to continue. Can you spare a few quid each month to support us?
