Catfish and the Bottlemen, the iconic Welsh indie band known for their energetic live performances and anthemic tunes, have announced two stadium gigs for August 2025. However, the news has been met with a mixture of excitement and scepticism from fans, with many questioning if the band is big enough to fill venues with capacities ranging from 60,000 to 75,000.
The band, fronted by Van McCann, shot to fame in the early 2010s with their debut album "The Balcony" and subsequent performances at major festivals like Reading and Glastonbury. Their energetic live shows and chart-topping singles like "Homesick" and "Pacifier" solidified their place as a key player in the indie music scene. However, their subsequent albums, "The Ride" and "The Balance," while commercially successful, received mixed reviews and faced criticisms of sounding too similar to their debut.
The band has also undergone significant personnel changes in recent years, with both their drummer Bob Hall and guitarist Johnny Bond leaving the group in 2021 and 2022, respectively. While they released the single "Showtime" earlier this year, it failed to replicate the success of their early hits, raising further doubts about their ability to command stadium audiences.
Fans have expressed concerns about the potential underselling of the gigs, pointing to the fact that the band's fanbase may not be large enough to fill stadiums. Some even suggested that a smaller tour of arenas would have been more suitable. The recent trend of exorbitantly priced gig tickets has also added to the worries, with concerns being voiced about the potential cost of attending a stadium show.
While Catfish and the Bottlemen may not be household names like Harry Styles or Taylor Swift, who routinely sell out stadiums worldwide, they have a loyal fanbase who have consistently supported them over the years. The band's decision to push the boundaries and aim for a larger platform could be seen as a risky but necessary move to maintain their momentum and relevance in the ever-changing music industry.
The announcement of these stadium gigs comes at a pivotal moment for the band, as they seek to revitalise their career and solidify their place as a major force in music. Whether or not they can successfully fill these massive venues remains to be seen, but their upcoming performances will certainly be a test of their enduring appeal and ability to connect with a wider audience.
Tickets for the Catfish and the Bottlemen's stadium gigs in Cardiff and London go on sale at 10am tomorrow, Wednesday, 21 August.
