Touring around Australia as one of the supports for The Kooks alongside Aussies The Griswolds, Catfish & The Bottlemen embarked on two headline dates: one in Sydney and one at The Hi-Fi in Melbourne.
Kicking off the proceedings were Victorian band, APES. Unfortunately, they appeared to simply be going through the motions and only really got into the swing of things in their final two songs.
Around half an hour later, the Welsh rockers everyone had come to see arrived onstage to a lively reception. The band swung into action with Rango, the infectious single getting the mosh pit area of the venue up and dancing early and they didn’t stop all night. Reaching a high gear by launching into Pacifier, their energy was ridiculously impressive, and it transferred to the audience, creating a brilliant back and forth between the crowd and the stage.
Towards the end of their regular set, they played one of the biggest hits from the debut album The Balcony by tearing through Kathleen. It once again sought to show off lead singer Ryan Van McCann’s supremely impressive vocals.
Throughout the show, McCann regularly thanked the crowd for their attendance and repeatedly seemed amazed by peoples’ support; the audience really appreciated it. Their set the night before at the far larger Sidney Myer Music Bowl was a good one, but being the first band on stage out of the three, the sound was frustratingly being fine-tuned during their set, whereas this evening the sound was on song for the entirety of their ten song set.
The crowd lapped up everything the band did, from their improvised banter to how enthusiastically they were. It’s hard to remember a band touring Australia for the very first time that’s put on a show as impressive as what Catfish & The Bottlemen managed at The Hi-Fi. Their eagerness to impress was clear and it was far easier to surrender to the good time vibes in the room than just stand and watch. There was less moshing and more dancing: people up the front were dancing even, it seemed, with complete strangers.
The band finished with their massive hit Cocoon before bowing out of their debut Melbourne headline visit with their debut album’s final song, Tyrants. It seems likely that the next time they return they’ll be playing at a much bigger venue.
BY ALEXANDER CROWDEN
Photo by Phoebe Powell
Loved: Everything Catfish & The Bottlemen did.
Hated: Literally nothing.
Drank: Tinnies.
