Catherine Tang: Tour Diary
Following the release of her debut album 'Where Do Your Dreams Fly?', Catherine Tang has performed at a couple of gigs in Switzerland as a mini tour including most recently, a show at Kuppel in Basel. Before the events, Catherine and I discussed ideas for the blog and both agreed that a tour diary would be particularly interesting.
So read on below, where you can find out more about the Kuppel show, which was accompanied by live visuals and a support act. Catherine tells us a little of what it was like to perform there, some of the features that went into the performance and of course, there are some photos too.
If you'd like to take a listen to Where Do Your Dreams Fly?, there's a Bandcamp link at the bottom of the page!
Where Do Your Dreams Fly?
Release Concert Recap from Kuppel Basel
Last week, I held my solo piano release concert for Where Do Your Dreams Fly? at Kuppel
Basel, Switzerland. Since my practice room is in the same building as the venue, it felt special to share the music in the place where it was created. Walking from my daily workspace straight onto the stage gave the evening a personal touch. LILAMORS, dear friends of mine and amazing musicians, warmed the stage for me and it truly felt like a perfect match.
A Circle of Pianos and Synths
On stage, I arranged a circle of pianos and synths around me. It formed a small “island” of sound, almost like bringing my living room setup into a bigger space. Being surrounded by the instruments allowed me to move easily between them and stay connected to the flow of the performance.
Starting With a Single Synth Note
The concert started with three minutes of a single sustained synth note. I wanted to begin simply, and maybe also radically, without jumping right into full pieces. This approach let the room settle, let people arrive, and gave the sound room to breathe. Maybe I wanted to confuse the audience also a little. For me, it felt like a reset, a beginning before the actual beginning, almost like watching something take its first breath.
Live-Triggered Visuals
I worked with two visual artists from Basel who created live visuals that reacted to the music. Their system followed the dynamics, timing, and textures in real time. This added a strong visual layer to the performance, making it feel like the visuals and music supported each other instead of competing. Many people mentioned afterward how much this enhanced the experience. It was a truly magical visual concept, and I’m excited to share more of it. I’ll be posting some live videos from the concert soon so you can see how everything came together.
Building a Show, Not Just a Setlist
My aim was to shape the whole evening as one connected experience. The opening note, the circle of instruments, the visuals, and the pacing all contributed to the concept. I wanted the concert to follow a clear arc and give the audience plenty of space to listen without feeling rushed.
A Full Room and a Focused Audience
The room was full, creating a great atmosphere. Kuppel’s round shape made the sound feel natural, whether I was on the upright piano or switching to another keyboard or synth. The audience was very attentive, especially during the quiet opening, which made that moment work out as I hoped.
Looking Back
I had many nice conversations with people after the show, and it was wonderful to hear what stood out to them. Overall, the evening felt like the perfect way to introduce Where Do Your Dreams Fly? I felt grateful, humbled, and quietly energized, like the show had opened something new, not just for the audience, but for me as well.
'Where Do Your Dreams Fly?' is available in a limited repress of 100 gatefold vinyl-effect CDrs, as well as a digital option available in a range of high quality format options. You can take a listen to the album in full HERE!
