LIVE REVIEW: Catfish and the Bottlemen + Little Comets + Broken Hands + VANT, Castlefield Bowl (08/0

In the last two years, Catfish and the Bottlemen have worked their way up from pubs to arenas against all odds. The huge, distinct indie rock sound of their two albums, coupled with raucous live shows, have gained them a passionately devoted fanbase, shown by their Castlefield Bowl gig selling out within five minutes of going on sale. Unsurprisingly, then, expectations were high as 8,000 fans made their way into the venue – although what followed went above and beyond what anyone could have hoped for.

Ninety minutes after doors opened, the first support act graced the stage. VANT – “from planet Earth” – are a band on the rise after two acclaimed headline tours, and it was instantly obvious why. A huge circle pit formed for enormous opening tune ‘The Answer’, with this energy being sustained by both the band and a swelling crowd across thirty minutes. Tracks including ‘Parking Lot’, ‘Fly-By Alien’ and the closing ‘Do You Know Me?’ featured big riffs, politically charged lyrics and provoked an enormous crowd response.

Next up were Broken Hands, the second of the three supports who had been hand-picked by Catfish and the Bottlemen themselves. Taking cues from Kasabian, Drenge and Royal Blood, the group performed songs from debut album ‘Turbulence’, some of which packed more of a punch than others. ‘Four’ and ‘Who Sent You’ were more engaging moments in a set that got a smaller response than VANT’s and lacked consistency at times, but was delivered with admirable energy.

The final support were known and loved by many in attendance – Geordie indie favourites Little Comets had Catfish as their own opening act a couple of years back, and returned the favour here. The group have a truly upbeat and layered live sound which prepared everyone nicely for the night’s headliners; it’s hard to argue with tunes as catchy as ‘Joanna’, ‘One Night In October’ and of course ‘Dancing Song’, which proved popular as the Bowl continued to fill up. Currently working on another studio album, Little Comets were on top form at the Bowl and, with more music imminent, expect them to remain a deserved staple of the indie scene.

Shortly after ten past nine, Castlefield Bowl erupted as Catfish and the Bottlemen finally took to the stage. Set opener ‘Homesick’ saw beers thrown, several flares lit and enormous mosh pits across the venue – the crowd screamed every word back at lead singer Van McCann, as they did with every number that followed. Fan favourite ‘Kathleen’ and ‘Soundcheck’, the lead single from their number one sophomore album ‘The Ride’, followed, with the latter showcasing a ridiculously good solo from lead guitarist Johnny Bond. Already, there was the feeling that this was a truly special night.

The sing-a-longs, moshing, pyros and enormous songs kept coming; Catfish are definitely one of the best live bands around, with Van’s passionate vocals accompanied by flawless musicianship. Debut album tracks ‘Pacifier’ and ‘Sidewinder’ caused absolute carnage in the crowd, although ‘Anything’ and ‘Red’ proved that ‘The Ride’ is already equally loved and sounds just as good live. After the uplifting ‘Twice’ was interspersed between former set opener ‘Rango’ and the irresistibly catchy ‘Fallout’, it was time for the live premiere of ‘Outside’. The last track on ‘The Ride’, it showcases so many of Catfish’s strengths – poignant but relatable lyrics, immense musical progression throughout and a truly huge chorus.

The band left the stage to leave Van to perform ‘Hourglass’ solo and acoustic; the volume and passion of the crowd meant he often let them sing sections for him. As well as being a strong stage presence, Van was truly humble and grateful throughout the night – a refreshing trait considering the arrogance of many indie frontmen. Proceedings closed with a rousing rendition of ‘7’, the storming ‘Cocoon’ (dedicated to anyone who hadn’t “lost their voice yet”) and a seismic finale in the form of ‘Tyrants’, which sounded even bigger and better live than on record.

As Catfish left the stage and fans headed home, a truly exceptional night had just unfolded. Catfish are undoubtedly a band which connect to the younger generation like so few others; Oasis and Arctic Monkeys comparisons may seem premature, but the crowd reaction and skill of the songs hints that they are justified. Most excitingly, it seems that the biggest and best is yet to come from Catfish and the Bottlemen.

10/10