Ballarat boys APES opened up the night and really made a mark. I previously got a glimpse of APES at their headline shows at The Toff a while back. Like in that show, they showed that their confidence is growing and i'm sure they won the hearts and support of many Catfish last night.
In recent times Catfish and the Bottlemen have been gaining hype from everywhere. Not only did they recently perform on David Letterman, win big at the BBC Music Awards, and play an array of music festivals such as Reading & Leeds and Ibiza Rocks, they've also wowing audiences around Australia during their support slot with The Kooks. Songs such as 'Cocoon' and 'Kathleen' have been gaining immense radio play since they dropped The Balcony last year (the songs were also major favourites with the crowd too!).
Frontman Van McCann should be commended for his stage presence. He has the attitude and confident demeanour that we've come to love about UK frontmen, without coming across as egotistical. The whole band deserve a pat on the back for their performance on the night. Even though they have years of live experience, it's only in recent times they've been drawing larger numbers to their gigs. For a band on the rise, their sound is both refined and tight. It made me wonder what their sound is going to be like when they become larger and start selling out even bigger venues. Their stellar stage presence is a combination of perfect sound and electricity that draws the crowd in.
An honourable mention to Larry (their sound tech guy) who was also a crowd favourite on the night with constant chants of his name being shouted with such love.
2015 is going to be a massive year for the band from Wales. Their vast experience of playing live shows is evident in the way they carry themselves on-stage. With only one LP, it's almost a guarantee that their shows are going to get more expansive and explosive as their catalogue grows. They're a band on the move with exciting times ahead of them.
