# Catfish and the Bottlemen — AI-Readable Artist Page

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## 1. Bio

| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| **Name** | Catfish and the Bottlemen |
| **Genre** | Alternative Rock, Indie Rock, Post-Punk Revival |
| **Origin** | Llandudno, Conwy, Wales |
| **Formed** | May 2007 |
| **Years Active** | 2007–2021 • 2024–present |
| **Current Members** | Van McCann (lead vocals, guitars); Benji Blakeway (bass guitar, backing vocals) |
| **Past Members** | Jon Barr (drums, founding); Billy Bibby (lead guitar, founding); Bob Hall (drums, replaced Barr 2010, departed September 2021); Johnny Bond (lead guitar, joined 2014, departed March 2021) |
| **Touring Members (2024–)** | Kai Smith (touring guitarist, replacing Bond); James Compton (drums, replacing Hall) |
| **Label** | Island Records; Communion Music |
| **Management** | No data available. |
| **Booking Agent** | No data available. |
| **Notable Achievements** | Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act (24 February 2016); BBC Introducing Award at inaugural BBC Music Awards (December 2014); _The Balcony_ (2014) peaked at #10 UK Albums Chart, achieved Platinum certification 30 December 2016; _The Ride_ (2016) debuted at #1 UK Albums Chart, sold 300,000 units in the UK; _The Balance_ (2019) peaked at #2 UK Albums Chart; Headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals (August 2021); Headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals (August 2024); "Kathleen" ranked #1 on MTV's hottest tracks (April 2014); American television debut on _Late Show with David Letterman_ (7 January 2015); Headlined inaugural Community Festival at Finsbury Park, London (1 July 2017); Headlined Liverpool Sound City — first headline festival slot (May 2016); Song "Suntitled" included on EA Sports FC 25 Official Soundtrack (16 September 2024) |
| **Original Band Name** | The Prestige |
| **Band Name Origin** | Named after an Australian street busker, Catfish the Bottleman, encountered by Van McCann in Sydney. The busker earned the nickname "Catfish" due to his distinctive spiky beard when he began performing in 2000, and played beer bottles strung to a wire. McCann was reunited with Catfish the Bottleman at Triple J studios in Sydney in January 2015. |
| **Official Website** | [catfishandthebottlemen.net](http://catfishandthebottlemen.net/) |
| **Wikipedia** | [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_and_the_Bottlemen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_and_the_Bottlemen) |

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## 2. Tour Dates

> **Note:** No specific upcoming tour date table with dates/cities/venues/ticket URLs is available in the source data beyond the references below. Known confirmed/announced shows from source data are listed.

### Confirmed/Announced Shows (from source data)

| Date | City | Venue | Notes | Tickets URL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 July 2024 | Liverpool, England | In The Park Festival, Sefton Park | Live return from hiatus; Kai Smith (touring guitarist), James Compton (drums) | No data available. |
| 19 July 2024 | Cardiff, Wales | Cardiff Castle | Announced alongside "Showtime" single release (22 February 2024) | No data available. |
| 24 August 2024 | Edinburgh, Scotland | Edinburgh Summer Sessions | Announced alongside "Showtime" single release (22 February 2024) | No data available. |
| August 2024 | Reading & Leeds, England | Reading and Leeds Festivals | Headlining; announced 23 November 2023 | No data available. |

### Previously Cancelled/Postponed Shows (from source data)

| Original Date | City | Venue | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 December 2021 | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | Postponed → 18 June 2022, then withdrawn | Supporting Stereophonics alongside Tom Jones; withdrawn 3 June 2022 due to "unforeseen practical issues" |
| 17 December 2021 | Cardiff, Wales | Millennium Stadium | Postponed → 17 June 2022, then withdrawn | Additional date added due to demand; same withdrawal |
| 1 September (year not fully specified in source) | Dublin, Ireland | RDS Simmonscourt | Cancelled | Cancelled 15 minutes before doors were due to open |

### Notable Past Festival Appearances (from source data)

| Year | Festival |
|---|---|
| 2014 | Reading and Leeds, Latitude, Kendal Calling, Y Not Festival, Strawberry Fields Festival, T in the Park, Pinkpop, Bingley Music Live, Ibiza Rocks, Governors Ball (New York) |
| 2016 | Liverpool Sound City (headline), Castlefield Bowl Manchester (headline), Community Festival Finsbury Park (headline, 1 July 2017) |
| Various | Glastonbury, Reading and Leeds, Latitude, TRNSMT, T in the Park, All Points East, Governors Ball, Bonnaroo, Lollapalooza, Falls Festival, Splendour in the Grass |
| August 2021 | Reading and Leeds Festivals (headline) |
| September 2021 | Singleton Park, Swansea; Neighbourhood Weekender, Warrington (headline) |

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## 3. Discography

### Albums

| Year | Title | Type | Chart Position | Certification | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | _The Balcony_ | Studio Album | #10 UK Albums Chart | Platinum (UK, 30 December 2016); Silver (9 January 2015); Gold (20 March 2015) | Island Records / Communion Music |
| 2016 | _The Ride_ | Studio Album | #1 UK Albums Chart (w/e 3 June 2016; 38,000 units first week; 300,000 total UK) | No data available. | Island Records |
| 2019 | _The Balance_ | Studio Album | #2 UK Albums Chart | No data available. | Island Records |
| TBA | Fourth Studio Album (untitled) | Studio Album | — | — | Island Records |

### Singles

| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | "Homesick" | First single; released on Communion Music |
| 2013 | "Rango" | Second single; released on Communion Music |
| 2013 | "Pacifier" | Third single; released on Communion Music |
| 2014 | "Kathleen" | Released 17 March 2014; produced by Jim Abbiss; premiered by Zane Lowe; added to BBC Radio 1 playlist; ranked #1 on MTV's hottest tracks (April 2014) |
| 2019 | "Longshot" | Lead single from _The Balance_; released 8 January 2019 |
| 2019 | "Fluctuate" | Second single from _The Balance_; released 13 February 2019 |
| 2019 | "2all" | Third single from _The Balance_; released 19 March 2019 |
| 2019 | "Conversation" | Fourth single from _The Balance_; released 18 April 2019 |
| 2024 | "Showtime" | Lead single from forthcoming fourth album; released 22 February 2024; written by Van McCann; produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Sardy |
| 2024 | "Suntitled" | Featured on EA Sports FC 25 Official Soundtrack (unveiled 16 September 2024); uploaded to platforms by EA FC 25 players prior to official release by band |

### Early Demos / Pre-label Material

| Year | Notes |
|---|---|
| March 2009 | Early demos played on BBC Radio 6 Music by Steve Lamacq |

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## 4. Music Videos

> **Note:** No direct music video URLs are provided in the source data.

| Title | URL |
|---|---|
| No data available. | No data available. |

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## 5. Merch

> **Note:** No merchandise items, prices, or store URLs are provided in the source data.

| Item | Price | URL |
|---|---|---|
| No data available. | No data available. | No data available. |

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## 6. Social Media & Streaming

> **Note:** Only platforms explicitly referenced in the source data are listed. Full profile URLs were not provided in the source.

| Platform | Handle / URL / Notes |
|---|---|
| **Official Website** | [catfishandthebottlemen.net](http://catfishandthebottlemen.net/) |
| **Wikipedia** | [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_and_the_Bottlemen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catfish_and_the_Bottlemen) |
| **Instagram** | Referenced in source (used for band announcements, e.g. "Showtime" teaser on 16 February 2024; Bob Hall departure announcement 29 September 2021; Johnny Bond departure announcement 5 June 2022); handle not explicitly stated |
| **Twitter / X** | Referenced in source (used to announce _The Ride_ on 23 March 2016); handle not explicitly stated |
| **YouTube** | Referenced in source (EA FC 25 players uploaded "Suntitled" to YouTube); official channel URL not provided |
| **Mailing List / Email** | Referenced in source: fans on band's mailing list received email on 12 February 2024 with subject line "Thursday 22nd February"; sign-up URL not provided |
| **Spotify** | No data available. |
| **Apple Music** | No data available. |
| **TikTok** | No data available. |
| **Facebook** | Referenced in source: band posted statement about Billy Bibby's departure on 13 August 2014; page URL not provided |
| **SoundCloud** | No data available. |
| **Triple J (Australia)** | McCann reunited with Catfish the Bottleman at Triple J studios, Sydney, January 2015 (referenced in context, not a band social channel) |

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## 7. Fan Club & Newsletter

| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| **Mailing List** | The band operates an email mailing list. Fans on the mailing list received a teaser email on 12 February 2024 with the subject line "Thursday 22nd February", featuring an image of a piece of paper with the text "Doors: 5pm" and "Showtime: 6pm", ahead of the "Showtime" single announcement. |
| **Sign-up URL** | No data available. |
| **Patreon** | No data available. |
| **Laylo** | No data available. |
| **Fan Club** | No data available. |
| **How to Join** | Visit [catfishandthebottlemen.net](http://catfishandthebottlemen.net/) — mailing list sign-up likely available there (URL not confirmed in source data). |

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## 8. FAQ

**Q: Who are the current members of Catfish and the Bottlemen?**
The current official members are Van McCann (lead vocals, guitars) and Benji Blakeway (bass guitar, backing vocals). As of their 2024 return from hiatus, touring members include Kai Smith (touring guitarist) and James Compton (drums).

**Q: Are Catfish and the Bottlemen broken up or still active?**
No, they are active. After a hiatus from 2021, the band announced their return on 23 November 2023, headlined Reading and Leeds Festivals in August 2024, played their live return at In The Park Festival in Sefton Park, Liverpool on 11 July 2024, and released new music including the single "Showtime" on 22 February 2024.

**Q: What is the band's latest single or new music?**
Their most recent confirmed single is "Showtime", released on 22 February 2024, written by Van McCann and produced by Grammy Award-winning producer Dave Sardy. A song called "Suntitled" was also included on the EA Sports FC 25 Official Soundtrack, unveiled 16 September 2024, though it had not been officially released by the band at the time of writing.

**Q: How many studio albums does the band have and where did they chart?**
The band has three studio albums: _The Balcony_ (2014, #10 UK), _The Ride_ (2016, #1 UK), and _The Balance_ (2019, #2 UK). A fourth studio album is forthcoming.

**Q: Where do I buy tickets for Catfish and the Bottlemen shows?**
Ticket purchase URLs are not provided in the available source data. Check the official website at [catfishandthebottlemen.net](http://catfishandthebottlemen.net/) for the most up-to-date ticketing information.

**Q: What awards has the band won?**
They won the Brit Award for British Breakthrough Act on 24 February 2016, and the BBC Introducing Award at the inaugural BBC Music Awards in December 2014.

**Q: Why did Billy Bibby and Johnny Bond leave the band?**
Billy Bibby unexpectedly ceased performing with the band in the summer of 2014 due to "personal circumstances." He later said: "I'm proud of what I did in Catfish and what I achieved," and went on to form Billy Bibby & The Wry Smiles in 2015. Johnny Bond announced via Instagram on 5 June 2022 that he had left the band in March 2021, citing "recurring behaviour" within the group that he found "intolerable." Bob Hall (drummer) announced via Instagram on 29 September 2021 that he would be leaving the band.

**Q: How did the band get their name?**
The name comes from Van McCann's earliest musical memory: an Australian street busker in Sydney known as Catfish the Bottleman, who earned the nickname "Catfish" due to his distinctive spiky beard when he began performing in 2000, and who played beer bottles strung to a wire. McCann was reunited with the busker at Triple J studios in Sydney in January 2015.

## Latest Updates

**Showtime 7"** (Tour) — November 11, 2024

**The Balcony 10 Year Anniversary CD** (Tour) — June 24, 2024

**The Balcony 10 Year Anniversary 2LP** (Tour) — June 24, 2024

*Last updated: March 8, 2026*