Reviewed by: Fringefeed
Review by Sunshine |
11 February 2026
Nothing could be finer than relaxing at a table in the rose garden of the historic and exclusive Lamont’s Bishops House, sipping champagne on a Perth summer's night, surrounded by an enthusiastic audience and entertained by the engaging jazz songbird Catherine Summers and her four-piece band.
This performance had the perfect combination of ambience, talent, glamour and a full-house audience. The repertoire of music through the decades, from the 1920s to today, started with a medley of five classy numbers executed in about 10 minutes, an appetiser for what was to come.
The pace then slowed somewhat as Catherine Summers, dazzling in a stunning red, ruffled silk dress, commenced her conversation with the audience. Then, with her "Let's Go Boys!" she and her instrumentalists put a jazzy spin on old and new classics from Edith Piaf to INXS to include: Never Tear Us Apart, La Vie En Rose, Bye Bye Blackbird, It Had To Be You, and Sledgehammer. It was an eclectic mix of songs that had the audience mesmerised and also singing along.
A highlight was the performance of the Porgy and Bess classic ballad, Summertime. And, Catherine treated the audience to two songs by British sister chanteuse, Amy Winehouse, with a great similarity in phrasing. The name “Val Erie” will never sound the same again.
Performances of this calibre demonstrate how beautifully authentic (and not AI) live music is and why Summers' performances are sold out. This year's FRINGE WORLD marks the 11th year for Catherine Summers and Co. to perform in this lovely setting at Lamont’s Bishops House.
Unless you have tickets for tonight’s performance (12 Feb at 7 pm), you will need to wait until next year's FRINGE WORLD for a return to Lamont’s, or you can catch her at other local venues throughout the year.
This performance had the perfect combination of ambience, talent, glamour and a full-house audience. The repertoire of music through the decades, from the 1920s to today, started with a medley of five classy numbers executed in about 10 minutes, an appetiser for what was to come.
The pace then slowed somewhat as Catherine Summers, dazzling in a stunning red, ruffled silk dress, commenced her conversation with the audience. Then, with her "Let's Go Boys!" she and her instrumentalists put a jazzy spin on old and new classics from Edith Piaf to INXS to include: Never Tear Us Apart, La Vie En Rose, Bye Bye Blackbird, It Had To Be You, and Sledgehammer. It was an eclectic mix of songs that had the audience mesmerised and also singing along.
A highlight was the performance of the Porgy and Bess classic ballad, Summertime. And, Catherine treated the audience to two songs by British sister chanteuse, Amy Winehouse, with a great similarity in phrasing. The name “Val Erie” will never sound the same again.
Performances of this calibre demonstrate how beautifully authentic (and not AI) live music is and why Summers' performances are sold out. This year's FRINGE WORLD marks the 11th year for Catherine Summers and Co. to perform in this lovely setting at Lamont’s Bishops House.
Unless you have tickets for tonight’s performance (12 Feb at 7 pm), you will need to wait until next year's FRINGE WORLD for a return to Lamont’s, or you can catch her at other local venues throughout the year.