Catfish and the Bottlemen, a British rock group hailing from Llandudno, Wales, graced the stage of The Gothic Theatre, Wednesday Oct. 7. Fans lined up waiting for doors to open and were just as excited about the opener, Jamie N Commons, a British blues rock and folk musician, with a Baritone voice that made us all fall in love. Jamie, who has opened for huge headliners like Bruce Springsteen, was the perfect intro for the Catfish and the Bottlemen. Jamie N Commons got the audience to pack the floor and dance along to soulful tunes we haven’t heard live since the likes of Johnny Cash.
Catfish and the Bottlemen, who in just a short time are already blowing up venues and earning loyal fans left and right, have an incredible sound over our car stereo but the four piece ensemble is definitely known for their live shows. They have so much energy and talent. Wedged up on the tiny Gothic stage, they were a presence that took over the entire space but remained intimately close with the audience so that it felt like we were all a part of the show, contributing and connecting with each other and the band.
They performed a good deal of songs off their newly released album, The Balcony. “Kathleen” and “Cocoon”, some of their most popular singles, were huge crowd hits and got everyone singing along. They played without missing a beat for almost two hours. Toward the end of the show, a dedicated fan presented them with a Colorado Flag, embellished with “Catfish and the Bottlemen”. They immediately invited her on stage, took a group photo and hung her flag on their amps. She basically had the greatest night of her young life so far.
Van McCann, the lead singer, is quoted saying “I don’t think rock and roll has ever gone away, I just don’t think there’s been a band to believe in. Nobody’s really gone for it and put their whole lives on the line. We got kicked out of school for it, lost girlfriends for it, went on the dole for it, been broke and starving and done everything for it. If you’ve got to go for it, you’ve got to go for it.” (Source; gothictheater.com)
Catfish and the Bottlemen love their fans and their fans love them back even more. They invited us into their world, showed us a fantastic time, and gave us rock and roll that we could once again believe in.