Live: Catfish And The Bottlemen @ Guildhall Southampton

by | Nov 19, 2015

Live: Catfish And The Bottlemen @ O2 Guildhall Southampton

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

To say that the band Catfish and the Bottlemen are on an upward trajectory would be something of an understatement. A little over two years ago, they were playing support slots in dank basement bars across the country – and now, via a top ten gold selling debut album, they have just concluded a UK tour that sold out every venue. Their two nights at London’s Brixton Academy sold out in six minutes. With a combined capacity of close to ten thousand, that’s twenty-seven tickets every second. Wow.

An expectant audience awaits Catfish and the Bottlemen @ O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

An expectant audience awaits Catfish and the Bottlemen @ O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

The O2 Guildhall Southampton gig was the last of this tour and to the strains of The Beatles’ Helter Skelter, the band wandered onto the stage in a nonchalant manner indicative of a group that knew ninety-five percent of the hard work was behind them. At least I think they did. The smoke machine operator must have been on piece rates because in the interval between the support act London Souls and CATB, more particulates were pumped into the auditorium than the average diesel could have managed in twice the time. That, allied to the fact that it was pitch black and the band were all dressed as if they were about to deliver a box of Milk Tray chocolates (anybody under the age of thirty might need to check YouTube to understand that reference), did make it pretty difficult to work out what was happening at all.

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

It didn’t take long to find out though, because when Van McCann and the rest of the band launched into opening number Rango, our internal organs had a little wobble and the audience behind us went absolutely berserk. I took a nice shower of lager too. At least I hope it was lager.

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

CATB are an interesting band to see live. Whilst Johnny Bond (lead guitar), Benji Blakeway (bass) and Bob Hall (drums) remained relatively static, McCann was charging around as if he’d overdosed on Duracell batteries and I fully imagine that practically all the eyes in the audience were solely on him. By the time three songs were done and I left the photo pit, you could have practically wrung the frontman out.

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

McCann certainly didn’t want to go crazy in isolation though and took many opportunities to stoke up the crowd. He clearly got a kick out of seeing the frenzied swathes of adolescent youth bouncing around and got a kick out of hearing them scream his lyrics back at him – and who wouldn’t? Despite the rapid growth in popularity and adulation for this band, it was pleasing to note that McCann remained focused on the fan experience. During one moment of considered calm (a classy acoustic performance of the song Hourglass that he sang in isolation), he stopped playing because he’d noticed that one of the venue security was giving an audience member some grief. McCann’s got form for this kind of thing. At one of the recent Brixton gigs, he told the audience that if anybody got chucked out for over-zealous antics, he’d have them on the guest list the following night.

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

Catfish and the Bottlemen performing at the O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

With only a debut album to fall back upon, it was no surprise that The Balcony got played in its entirety and with that record having a running time of only thirty-seven minutes, it was no surprise that CATB delivered extended live versions of a number of songs. They closed out the encore with an anthemic rendition of Tyrants that wildly exceeded the length of the version on the album and we also got a taste of where the band might be going next with the only new song on offer tonight, 7; a song of slower tempo, crashing drums and brooding guitars.

An expectant audience awaits Catfish and the Bottlemen @ O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

An expectant audience awaits Catfish and the Bottlemen @ O2 Guildhall Southampton 12/11/15 (Simon Reed)

Based on the reaction Catfish received tonight, that new material and further touring on offer to promote it simply can’t come soon enough.

[photoshelter-gallery g_id=”G0000HOMH8MNv9P8″ g_name=”Catfish” f_show_caption=”t” f_show_slidenum=”t” img_title=”casc” pho_credit=”iptc” f_link=”t” f_enable_embed_btn=”t” f_send_to_friend_btn=”t” f_fullscreen=”t” f_show_watermark=”t” f_htmllinks=”t” f_mtrx=”t” fsvis=”f” width=”600″ height=”450″ f_constrain=”t” bgcolor=”#ffffff” bgtrans=”t” btype=”new” bcolor=”#CCCCCC” crop=”f” twoup=”t” trans=”flip” tbs=”4000″ f_ap=”t” linkdest=”c” f_topbar=”f” f_bbar=”f” f_bbarbig=”” f_smooth=”f” f_up=”f” target=”_self” ]

Photography & Review by Simon Reed. Simon has his own great website right here: www.musicalpictures.co.uk

Catfish And The Bottlemen at Guildhall Southampton November 2015

 

 

 

 

Liang Lawrence (Ana Chen)

Liang Lawrence Unveils Reflective New Single ‘A Day Off In Margaritaville’ Ahead Of Autumn UK Tour

Rising alt-pop storyteller Liang Lawrence has shared her shimmering new single A Day Off In Margaritaville, a vibrant, emotionally layered track that marks the first offering from her upcoming EP It’s A Funny Thing, due later this year via The Other Songs.

Mae Stephens (Hannah Burton)

Mae Stephens Returns With Infectious New Single ‘Tiny Voice’

Breakout pop star Mae Stephens is back with a bang as she drops her irresistibly offbeat new single, Tiny Voice — a track as addictive as it is relatable. Following the runaway global success of her hit If We Ever Broke Up, which racked up over 500 million streams, landed her a Top 15 UK single, and earned Gold certifications in both the UK and US, Stephens continues to show why she’s one of the most exciting new voices in pop.

Maya Lane (Press)

Maya Lane Announces New Single ‘I Don’t Know You Yet’ And Debut London Headline Show Ahead Of New EP

Rising UK pop-country star Maya Lane continues her impressive 2025 trajectory with the release of a stunning new single, I Don’t Know You Yet, out now. The introspective, stripped-back track offers a poignant taste of her forthcoming EP, The Hurt And The Healing, due out on 4th September, and precedes her debut headline show at London’s The Grace on 3rd September.

Perera Elsewhere (Hugo Holger Schneider x Gene Glover)

Perera Elsewhere Returns With Electrifying Double Single Ft. Andy S & Announces New Album

Berlin-based, UK-raised experimental artist Perera Elsewhere (aka Sasha Perera) is back with a high-voltage double single, F*ck Le System / Time Will Tell, out now on Friends Of Friends – both featuring viral Ivorian rapper Andy S. The release serves as a bold statement on feminine strength, social rebellion, and sonic experimentation.

Don McLean @ The Long Road Festival (Press)

The Long Road Festival 2025 Assembles Its Biggest Line-Up Yet For August Bank Holiday Weekend

Now entering its sixth and most ambitious year to date, The Long Road Festival 2025 is set to deliver its boldest celebration of country, Americana, and roots music yet, taking over the scenic Stanford Hall in Leicestershire from 22nd–24th August. With more than 80 artists across six stages, the weekend promises an immersive blend of genre-spanning music, authentic Americana culture, and inclusive community spirit — and has already become the festival’s fastest-selling edition to date.

Stevie Wonder @ BST Hyde Park 2025 (Bethan Miller-Carey)

A Night In Wonderland: Stevie Wonder And Guests Delight At BST Hyde Park 2025

“Awwwwight!” drawls Stevie Wonder, arms flung wide, grinning like a teenager trying on cockney charm for the first...
Neil Young @ BST Hyde Park (Trudi Knight)

Dance, Shadow And Harvest Under The Full Moon: Van Morrison, Yusuf Islam And Neil Young And The Chrome Hearts At BST Hyde Park 2025

Gone are the sparkled cowgirls and pop princesses of previous BST gigs. It’s the turn of the Baby Boomer generation to make up the core crowd of Hyde Park – a sea of grey hair, straw hats, and sensible shoes. They reapply sun cream religiously, have brought picnic blankets, and can be forgiven for taking their time getting up and down from the ground between acts. This is the generation that invented outdoor rock and folk festivals – and they’re here to show the rest of us how it’s done.

Poptones (Rune Gro-Nielsen)

Poptones Play Their Wild Card With New Single ‘Say Something Now’ Ahead of Forthcoming Album ‘Pure’

Danish experimental rock trio Poptones have unveiled their new single Say Something Now, offering a taste of the unpredictability and emotional depth that defines their upcoming sophomore album Pure, out 26th September via Happy Metal Records. Where lead single Skin Of Sea teased a shift toward expansive and instinctive composition, Say Something Now dives headlong into that experimental impulse—guided, intriguingly, by the rules of UNO. Yes, the beloved card game.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This

Share Thing