Live Review: Catfish and the Bottlemen - Sefton Park, Liverpool 11/07/2024
Catfish And The Bottlemen stun Sefton Park’s capacity crowd with a performance worth waiting three years for.
When it comes to indie-rock music, Catfish And The Bottlemen are right up there with the royal names of the genre. Their three studio albums have brought them a plethora of fans who go crazy for their raw, uncut and powerful live performances.
Having embarked on an indefinite hiatus three years back, fans of the group were unsure if they’d ever see their heroes in person again. When news broke of their comeback shows, tickets flew out.
Sefton Park was the designated venue for the initial show.
Gig-goers filled the pubs of South Liverpool in the day leading up to the gig. Rain that had plagued the city in the days prior to the show finally took its leave, and everything aligned for what was to be a spectacular night…
First to take to the stage for the night was Liverpool outfit The Mysterines. The group have become accustomed to the big stages, having supported Arctic Monkeys on their recent run of stadium shows. Having recently released a new record, the band treated the Liverpool audience to some of their new material amongst tracks that have proved popular in recent years. Most notable, perhaps was ‘Hung Up’, which captured the attention of the crowd.
The Mysterines well and truly blew the door to Catfish’s return well off its hinges.
After a short changeover, it was time for Sundara Karma.
Having been on the scene for some time, the band knew exactly how to continue warming the audience up for the main event. Within seconds of the band being on stage, the audience were hooked, as ‘She Said’ was performed: a track that everyone in the crowd seemed to know, as they belted out every word.
Much like The Mysterines, Sundara Karma have released a new body of work not so long ago. Amongst their big hitters, the band performed some of the new tracks, which were received extremely well. One of those new tracks on display was ‘Baby Blue’ which is the opener of the group’s recent album. This one was fast-paced, with all the band members combining to create a fuzzy, rocking feel.
Those in attendance at Sefton Park were treated to two seriously impressive support acts. As Sundara Karma finished their set, all attention turned to Van McCann and co.
The time had come for the band to take to the stage. Their signature entrance to ‘Helter Skelter’ came and the crowd erupted. A flash of stage lights told all in the crowd that Catfish were here.
The instantly recognisable chugging guitar riff of ‘Longshot’ kicked off the set. The band’s hold on the crowd was evident from the off. McCann merely had to sing the opening word ‘Go’ and the crowd sang the rest for him. It was stunning. The first chorus of the opener sent the Liverpool audience into a frenzy. Sefton Park bounced in unison, singing every word with McCann.
Catfish’s opening 25 minutes was home to some of their biggest songs to date: with ‘Kathleen’, ‘Pacifier’, ‘Soundcheck’ and ‘Twice’ all being unleashed.
Of those, ‘Soundcheck’ may have been the most notable. Huge mosh pits ensued as the band smashed out huge instrumental sections.
As mentioned prior, Catfish And The Bottlemen have become known for their raw, uncut displays at live shows. Their performance at Sefton Park was as raw and uncut as you could get, in all the best ways. Any doubts about the chemistry of the band, since they’ve recently welcomed new members, were washed away as the band effortlessly smashed out solos and huge full-band jams.
The entirety of the set was full of huge songs. There was no let up from McCann and co., who seemed to be loving the evening just as much as the crowd, as was evidenced by McCann cracking laughs and smiles at various points.
The closing tracks of the night were ‘7’ and ‘Cocoon’. Two huge numbers. Both had the crowd screaming at the top of their lungs. There were great moments of unity between the band and the crowd, with McCann conducting his 40,000-person choir as they cried out the final chorus of ‘Cocoon’.
The gig came to a close and fans’ thirst had been quenched. Despite the absence of the latest single, the set-list was perfect, and it was performed in classic Catfish style.
Much to the delight of fans, Catfish And The Bottlemen are back. All eyes will remain poised on the group as they are set to take on a number of tour dates… with hopes of more new music to grace our ears!
Words by Matthew Caslin
Photography by Leon Mansley
