-Delaney Durbin
Fantastic Cat was named by a waitress. As Mike Montali and Don DiLego, old friends who ran in the same musical circles, sat backstage at a New York City club tossing back ideas and beers, they called out to a waitress and asked her what she would name a band if she could. Her response? Fantastic Cat. And so Fantastic Cat it was. The band later expanded from DiLego and Montali to include Brian Dunne and Anthony D’Amato – all established songwriters in their own right. And from that fateful moment backstage on, Fantastic Cat has brilliantly captured that spirit of spontaneity.
Each member, with their unique perspectives and experiences as songwriters, has a lot to say, with beautifully different ways to say it. Fantastic Cat bounds into the territory of classic rock, bluegrass, and even folk, with their four part harmony, instrument-swapping, witty yet sincere songs. Songs that show the clear influences of the greats, from The Eagles to Springsteen, when those influences come together.
For the members of Fantastic Cat, it’s clear that this band is allowing themselves room to play, in the simplest of terms. Each member, used to the constraints that come with performing as a solo act, took the chance to do what they’ve always wished they had the capacity for, with four friends who share their infectious giddiness. The band was formed out of a desire for experimentation with reckless abandon, and their work onstage and off is proof. Onstage, their presence is characterized by the trading of guitars from hand-to-hand, rotating frontmen, and constant shared laughs. Their only released album, The Very Best of Fantastic Cat (titled no doubt with the band’s tongue firmly in its cheek), contains this same sense of play and experimentation, likely due to their musical-chairs-esque approach to recording each track. Each member had his time in the hot seat, bringing the bones of a song he believed deserved attention, and from there the band took them and ran.
Not only did the band run, but they gained acclaim for their cover of the Wings hit, “Band on the Run”, produced by Butch Walker, former lead guitarist of the band, Marvelous 3. The Fantastic Cats, never failing to put their own spin on everything they touch, created a raucous yet perfectly-in-tune cover of the beloved classic, complete with harmonies, hand-clapping, and a healthy amount of synth. This cover caught attention, gaining them a Rolling Stone profile, and with their relentlessly clear joy for the band, matched with their growing and dedicated fan following, that attention is likely not going away soon.
This group is one to keep a sharp eye on as they further their reputation as a pinnacle of the NYC music scene. Luckily for the group’s growing fanbase, the Fantastic Cats are currently back in the studio, cooking up their next album, which promises to be as versatile, buoyant, and fantastic as the Cats themselves.
Listen Here!
Fantastic Cat | Spotify
References
See Fantastic Cat — Dudes Who Wear Cat Masks and Suits — Cover 'Band on the Run' With Butch Walker
When Four Singer-Songwriters Unite, One 'Fantastic Cat' is Born
Fantastic Cat