Embodying a zany charisma and suave that calls to mind similar frontmen like Alex Turner, the astutely English Ryan “Van” McCann led his ragtag troupe of garage-rockers (Catfish and The Bottlemen) onto the Fonda stage with the sole intent of wooing the pants off the crowded theatre. And woo they did.
Brandishing his guitar with wild kicks and hammer-ons, McCann kept both hands on his instrument as he tilted towards the crowd, his mouth pressed up against the leaning microphone as he grumbled into it.
Like their songs, tales of adolescence steeped in casual sexuality and even more casual existentialism, Catfish and the Bottlemen oozed a charming sensuality that echoed a time when rock-‘n’-roll was in its infancy and the words “sex and drugs” we’re tied to it. But there was also a devout sincerity, because between the rugged riffs and noisy melodies there was an entirely relatable plea for love in a seemingly loveless world.
British singer/songwriter Jaime N Commons opened up the night with his take on raspy, streetcorner-esque blues.
Check out the photos below of Catfish and The Battlement with Jaime N Commons at the Fonda Theatre.
Words & Photography: Steven Ward
Catfish and The Bottlemen
Catfish and The Bottlemen
Jamie N Commons
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