Cara’s Blog

Blog from Cara Robinson

Cara’s Blog 2016

Well folks back again with a tune that is full on feeding our souls as there is nothing like a bit of Ottilie Patterson. Who has heard of this Irish County Down Blues Mama? She was considered the Irish version of Bessie Smith, of course she was totally underrated whilst being adored and revered by the greats in the blues world, one being Blind Boy Fuller.

So yes here is a link to a tune that gently pricks up the ears, whether you are a blues lover or not her voice cannot be denied.

So about our recent adventures, we found ourselves on the Gold Coast in a water tank converted to a studio preparing for the new album No. 4 which was the fantastic live studio set up that is the unique creation and sound of Govinda Doyle ( No .1 Hit Big Jet Plane by Angus & Julia Stone) After we were all totally intent on heading in the same direction regarding the metamorphous process of the recording we set to work straight away.

By the end of 9 days and nights literally living and breathing the album inside the water tank we finally stepped out into the light of the day with one finished album named “After The Rain” We have recently released on iTunes and Bandcamp a favourite track called “Doing It Again”. You can find the story behind the tune here.

As soon as we had the recording in our hands we took off to Canada for a short month tour ending up in Calgary at the Stampede City sessions. Here you will find the TV recording of the show with some new tracks off the album.

So from 37 degrees to – 37 it was a dramatic change in life style where we found ourselves no kidding skinny dipping in a hot tub in minus 30 snow and to make the final finish the morning after the gig I locked us out with no neighbours or help at hand so Fitzy being the hero had to climb with his jewels in hand through a window for us to make it back inside safely before we died of hypothermia.

Yes there is footage, of course I had my camera in hand and not a stitch on. So we do leave you with the family friendly version. Kind of reminds me of a classic Faulty Towers moment.

Back to Australia for a festival and a quick charge of the batteries and then on towards UK for a two week tour and then over to Europe till the 17^th of May.

We would like to thank you all for showing your support once again everywhere we have set foot on a stage whether it be UK, Europe, Canada or Australia you have truly overwhelmed us with sharing the news with friends and helping us double our crowds making us only want to come back soon. We are heading back to UK Sark, France, Canada and America over the next months of July, August and first two weeks of September then back to Australia for the Launch of the new album in October. A few great things in hand so please keep in touch and up to date with the website as will be constantly updating for you wonderful folks.

Take care for now and see you soon

Cheers Keep’er Sweet
Fitzy & Cara

By hatfitz|2016-05-13T16:11:32+00:00May 4th, 2016|Cara's Blog|0 Comments

Well Folks,
It’s 12 degrees here and I’m sitting in me Jim Jams singing out to our record player which has the pleasure of playing Shirley Brown. There is nothing like warming up our ears to a good piece of quality vinyl for the morning to begin in the right fashion. We are very lucky where we live that we have such good friends that bring a hot pot and their instruments for a play to keep the old creative juices flowing. We were also invited to our dear folks on the hill where the only reception you get out there is the sound of live musical instruments and the wild life and this was all on the one weekend. So with the seasons a changing and the kooties* flowing freely of course happily being back with the snot pickers* it’s inevitable that we’ll catch something.

Already it has been a great year and it’s not near the end yet for our music. With the help of our great team and of course you wonderful supporters who have been so dedicated in your following; some of you traveling over seas to come and see a show! We thank you as without your strong belief in our music we would not have stretched the length of ourselves yet instead we have made it as far a field as Canada, France, Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Ireland and all over the UK.

So the plan so far is that we are home in Australia with our minds set on writing for the new album to be released early next year. We already have some great shows and festivals set up in Australia, one being a newish territory for us up North QLD towards Cairns, Cooktown and Gove with the intent of reaching and making new fans. So staying put in Australia, playing live and writing the new album. The latest dates are here.

So with lots in the pot for next year already we are planning to share our music with further shores. Norway and Denmark and France are on the cards, Canada and USA also and not forgetting foreever faithful UK. And we intend to visit with our new album in tow!

See you shortly and please do keep in contact as we sign off with Shirley Brown’s “Woman to Woman” play out of “So Glad to have you” below.

Cheers and Slainte Folks
Hat & Cara

* germs
* kids

By hatfitz|2016-04-14T17:37:41+00:00July 31st, 2015|Cara's Blog|0 Comments

Cara’s Blog – Oz!

Wow and another hits the window in full force. It seems to me that it is the season over here for serious mating going on and not much common sense for bird life! They’re either falling out of trees whilst entangled in each others wings or they are plain sailing straight into doors possible in full escape flight!
Sorry about opening with my bird story but seriously this is in fact the 2nd one today that has crash landed into our sliding glass door. Better than anything else on the idiot box by far!

So after practicing me drums – as I had my first lesson the other day by none other than the great McKenna – I am studying my rudiments and looking forward to getting out on the road with Mr Hat Fitz this November in Australia, we are at present playing through the new tunes that we have recorded with Jeff Lang on the “Do Tell” album.

Can’t wait to share it with you live and pretty wrapped that it is now released here in Australia.
Yes it’s a spring album for you wonderful Aussies. We will be leaving the bush behind and setting off on our East Coast run through to Sydney and Melbourne.
We have been graced by the wonderful harp playing of Ian Collard too on this 3rd Hat Fitz and Cara album and also the soft dulcet tones of Alison Ferrier along with other various talented musos from Victoria – we have been blessed none the less!
As from the 12th of November we are pleased that we will be sharing this with you face to face starting in the beautiful town of Belingen.
Would like to also tell you our news of what we have been at lately.
Well in Easter last year we were lucky enough to be invited over to East Canada for the ECMA awards to showcase representing Australia where we were lucky enough to receive the first standing OV in several years and were wrapped that they want us back for a tour next March 2015.
So our wings are spreading further a field which is a great opportunity for us.
Of course the first thing that Fitzy did was write his name in the snow with his wee as soon as we had landed, actually it was just Fi……
Isn’t that a girls name?

Anyway we also were nominated to fly to Memphis TN USA and take part in the Heats for the Memphis international Blues challenge.
What a buzz so looking forward to representing Australia, this will be taking part in January 20th of 2015 so peeps start saving your pennies, what a trip.
Well folks would just like to say a huge thank you to you all for your support and keeping in touch with us out there as without you we would not have these great experiences through out our journey on and off the road.
So thank you and hope to see you real soon.
Cheers x Cara & Fitzy

By hatfitz|2014-10-13T21:30:23+00:00October 13th, 2014|Cara's Blog|2 Comments

Cara’s blog

Well Folks!
It has been one of the best tours yet and it’s thanks to you for your wonderful support that you have shown us through out the last 3 months on the road. It is for sure sad that we have said goodbye to our European, UK and Irish fans and family but it is also with great pleasure that we are preparing for another run of launching the new album “Do Tell” in Australia for the first time. Thank you Australians for being so so patient as we will be releasing the album through Planet Company Records in the beginning of October.

We are so chuffed about seeing you all again too it has been too long as we will be commencing the tour of “Do Tell” album launch 2nd week in November 2014 and can’t wait to see you all.

There are so many people we would like to thank while we were across the seas including the unofficial rider of home made elderflower cordial that was presented at a gig – never have we had to bargain a CD for this rare specimen! Fitzy loved it by the way.

We must say that the support and calibre of people that still get out there and enjoy live music is overwhelming from Belgium, Holland, Germany, France, Switzerland, Scotland, Ireland and the UK. It is the personal touches that we seem to always take away with us where people go out of their way to be kind and welcoming. It has seemed that in Europe we could not fault the home cooked meals there waiting for us when we arrived nearly every night not forgetting the Hat Fitz & Cara’s chowder challenge in Ireland. It was a fare toss up between Kenny’s in Lahinch and West port’s Wyatt Hotel – wow both were knock out!

We are at the moment preparing for the Memphis Blues Challenge on the 24th Aug at Lefty’s Old Time Music hall in Brisbane so please cross your fingers for us as we would love the opportunity to head over and represent the Australians in Memphis at the showcase.

We are also excited to announce that there will be a new video out with the release date.

Also no van this year as we have upgraded to proper beds even to the point in Switzerland where we had separate rooms; of course Fitzy was knocking on my door at ungodly hours – “Is that why they call it morning glory?!” Anyway without further we just wanted to keep you in the loop with where we’re at and that we’ve had an absolute ball with you all and looking forward to starting the tour of the new album with you very soon please keep a check on the sight for new dates of the tour and also already we have put up some pre tour gigs up and around the sunshine coast.

Taker easy and keep in touch

Cheers Hat & Cara

By hatfitz|2014-08-19T00:01:39+00:00August 19th, 2014|Cara's Blog|2 Comments

Canada Showcase

It’s been quite a year folks as we have just started grinding the cogs of our musical life on the road again after last years shinanigans involving several unfortunate events, they say it makes you stronger and at the moment we’re starting to believe it.
After our short run in Europe where by fate or the luck of the Aus/Irish we found ourselves a great manager in 2013. In Australia in Jan 2014 aptly named the fighting fit tour we were already getting the creative juices flowing for the next album named “Do Tell” which is out through out the world except Australia (which will be later in the year).

Fitzy in the meantime had been asked to write a piece on Tim Winton’s short stories which has been made into a fillum (film) directed by Australia’s up and coming Justin Kurzel who wrote the award winning movie “Snowtown” if your looking for an edgy dark and twisted movie this is possibly as good as they come. Not only did he write the soundtrack for the “Boner McFarlins Mole” he actually plays in the ending scene – Spot the Fitzy!

The track is called “Long Dark Cloud” by Hat Fitz this is also on the new album which was recorded and engineered by the great Jeff Lang, another real learning experience watching the wizard at work. It is such a breath of fresh air where you can be fully in your natural environment and feel free to express yourself without holding back.

We were also invited by Geoff Trio to the East Coast music awards showcase in Canada where we were to represent the Australian music along with a young talented Aussie singer songwriter Dylan Wright. There were over 200 delegates from all over the world in this beautiful spot called Prince Edward Island. We landed in 2 feet of snow which was amazing seeing Fitzy had never seen snow before so of course like big kids we had to have a full on snow ball fight but we had to pull it up before his hands froze off and thankfully there were no tears.

We met so many amazingly kind people there – Kev and Steph Corbet greeted us with open arms and warm yummy broth and then we were collected by the wonderful Lyann who chauffeured us around like Miss Daisy – what a champion. We had the beautiful Chloe Goodyear from Woodford Folk Fest fighting our corner valiantly not to mention the fantastic managing directer who set up AUSCAN Shelley Nordstrom with their powerful team of Canadian delegates.

2:30pm came and it was our showcase – we were overwhelmed with the crowd as they had to open up the other half of the doors to let more people in. To top the whole show off we received the first standing ovation ever at the ECMA. Still feeling such a buzz from the whole experience, and thank you so much for the encouragement from everyone including all our friends family and fans you have made 2014 already a great year!
Cheers n safe on yer way
Hat & Cara

By hatfitz|2014-04-15T16:41:34+00:00April 15th, 2014|Cara's Blog|0 Comments

Cara’s Blog

Cara’s Blog 2016

Cara’s Blog

Cara’s Blog – Oz!

Cara’s blog

Canada Showcase

Title