Performing on Sunday 6th November
Live at Bournemouth International Centre
With support from July Talk
*****
Underneath a high ceiling and in front of an array of towering lights stand some 5,000 Catfish and the Bottlemen fans. Some fans are finding the transition between small sweatbox pubs to arenas a bit challenging. Other fans are experiencing the wonder of a Catfish and the Bottlemen live show for the first time, a day some may have waited years to experience. Mingled amongst them are the select few who came along just to see what all of the fuss was about. The one common denominator in all of these 5,000 or so people is that none of them left Bournemouth International Centre unsatisfied.
Catfish and the Bottlemen, a now household name for all guitar bands past and present, electrified the southern seaside town with an extended set list, even more strobe lighting and a very bizarre supporting act. Canadian based rockers July Talk, who frolicked about the stage like a drugged up freak show, in part delighted but mostly confused the crowd. The vocal combination of the two lead singers is questionable, but strip away the awkward and at times painful to watch exchanges the two have on stage, then the vibes their songs emanate are very enjoyable.
Being in a large scale arena with a floor twice as wide as the "standard venues Catfish were made to play" did not distract any of the band members. For those fans who were on their second or even twentieth dose of Catfish will know how a show goes, and these common characteristics have carried over into the arenas. Van McCann's gratitude for the fans is still displayed through the numerous times he says "thank you" in the set. But, something about the Bournemouth crowd ignited a new wave of gratitude within Van, who gasped and looked at his band mates with genuine disbelief more times than usual, which in turn, made the already jubilant crowd sing, cheer and scream even louder. Fans were also treated to witnessing Bob Hall's superb drumming at eye level, a sight never before seen at a Catfish gig.
Not a lot has changed since the small gig venue days, but that is how fans, old and new, like it.
Comments
Post a Comment