Catfish and the Bottlemen kicked off their fall U.S. headlining tour in Raleigh, North Carolina last night and lit up the Ritz with their electric live show. Their newest album, The Balance, was released in April 2019 and came after a wait of nearly three years, following their 2016 album The Balcony. Since its release, the critically acclaimed UK alternative rock band have spent the summer touring and on the festival circuit, having played major events like Bonnaroo, Summer Sonic and Splendor in the Grass. 

With the group being used to packing arenas for their tours in the UK, seeing them in a club atmosphere on this tour is a real treat. I’ve had the chance to see the group perform at festivals over the years, typically in an audience packed so tight you can barely move and last night was a similar crowd. The group has such a dedicated, rapidly growing fan base and even last night in a smaller city like Raleigh, everywhere I looked the crowd was belting out the words to every song. It’s undeniable that this band is on an upward trajectory that cannot be wavered. Lead singer Van McCann’s vigor on stage is contagious and his endurance for giving such a physical performance cannot go unnoticed as the audience feeds on it.

The band played fan favorites such as “Kathleen,” “Cocoon,” and “7.” In addition, the group played five songs off their newest album including, “Longshot,” “Fluctuate, and “2all.”

Kicking the night off was Canadian rock group July Talk, who played a riveting set which garnered the attention of the Catfish fans. 

For more Catfish and the Bottlemen tour dates, click here.


Maddie Matthews

Maddie Matthews

Madelyn is a Live Music Photographer based in Raleigh, North Carolina.