It is all too often that I claim every show as, “the best show ever!’. But it is less often that it actually stands to be true - and boy was it true for Catfish and The Bottlemen last night at Bowery Ballroom (NYC). This quartet of all-black wearing, Welsh-being, mind blowing lads proved themselves to be more than worthy of a sold out U.S. tour. After recently releasing their debut album, The Balcony, the band was catapulted into the scene, and stardom, and seeing them live can only make you wonder how it hasn’t happened sooner!
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The first sign of greatness was their entrance to “Roses” (by Outkast, duh), halfway interruped by striking guitar sounds (I’m obviously very instrumentally inclined). With a roar of the crowd, and the vision of guys with great hair, came the magic. Somehow, by the grace of Wales, CATB made little ol’ Bowery feel like a friggin’ rock arena! The power behind the sound was unmatched and unrivaled by any band I’ve seen live before. Yes, I know that that’s a bold statement, but my current state of soreness is proof.
Opting for the balcony, coincidentally, to avoid death by tweenagers talking about prom, it made me feel no less a part of the show. Except it wasn’t my usual cheering, head bobbing, and grooving - it was straight up screaming, head banging, and jumping so much that I’m pretty sure I never have to go to the gym again. The problem was, and pretty much always is, that a New York crowd isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Despite the handful of concert go-ers cut from the same cloth as me (the cloth where you go ape shit and literally feel the music through your body), the crowd was lack luster and unworthy of the absolute insanity that was happening on stage. Although, I do have to give credit for the noise level post-songs.
Nonetheless, the amount of modesty CATB demonstrated, being so humbled by playing a sold out show in New York, only made the crowd love them more. Had I taken a shot everytime lead singer Van McCann thanked the audience, and expressed his disbelief at how these moments could be his, I probably would’ve fell off….wait for it….the balcony.
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Catfish & The Bottlemen deserve sold out shows, all the applause that comes along with it, and all the success in the world. I’m already planning on snagging tickets for their next show in town (Webster Hall 6/16), and I highly suggest you do too - but I mean, only if you want to hear some real good rock and/or help me start a moshpit.