“Playing live is important to me because music is a way for us to be together,” Kaia Kater tells CBC Music. With gentle banjo playing, the multi-instrumentalist began her set with “Nine Pin,” one of the stirring tracks from her 2016 album of the same name. “I love that you love sad songs,” she told the crowd, beaming as they clapped. Kater explained her musical background in the folk/roots world in detail, peppering her anecdotes with jokes: “True story: I actually had my first kiss at banjo camp,” she said while reminiscing on falling in love with the instrument. Despite the laughs, her performance had a sensitive power. Her voice ached with emotion as she sang “Maker Taker,” “Mechanics of the Mind” and more songs, captivating the audience through the entire set.
