The crowd was rightfully slightly tense in Belfast, as many, such as myself, had been to the dreadful Dublin gig last August which unfortunately got cancelled just 10 minutes before doors opened, leaving all Radio X listening, samba-wearing gig-goers in Ireland distraught and temporarily in a mood with Van Mccann. This gig however, I have to finally admit, makes up for all the distress
To be completely honest, the choice of James as support at first had me feeling a bit baffled, wondering how an eccentric alternative rock group from the 1980’s fit the demographic for this concert. However, the minute they hit the stage, it all made sense. Even within the bustling Belsonic atmosphere packed with pints being bought in preparation and Instagram photos being taken, James managed to capture the crowd with frontman's Tim Booth’s immaculate dance moves- On a crutch by the way, as well as a set full of sing-along radio hits that I honestly had no clue were all by this one legendary band. Final track ‘Laid’ in particular warmed up the audience for a night that would result in a lost voice due to screaming and singing and chanting.
Surprisingly only 10 minutes late, the band made their entrance alongside ‘Helter Skelter’ by The Beatles, an ideal song choice to anticipate the rumbustious night ahead. Van’s opening “GO!” launching into ‘Longshot’ set the scene instantaneously, hyping up the already buzzing, effervescent crowd of smiles, not a single lyric missed, screamed at the very top of every single person’s lungs. My only issue at this first 20 minutes of the gig was that there was absolutely no chance of leaving to go grab a drink, it was unmissable hit after hit, starting with ‘Longshot’ into ‘Kathleen’ and then ‘Soundcheck’, encore-worthy songs. A highlight for me, however, had to be ‘Twice’. Witnessing and being a part of a crowd exclaiming the lyrics “Shouting over music with a friend who’s like a brother” while everyone had their arms wrapped around their best mates or on each other's shoulders was really heart-warming, and a reflection of the love that this band elicit.
I have to mention the slight feeling of distraction from the audience during Van’s 5 minute long jam session during ‘Business’, which felt slightly unnecessary. I understand the rush of finally getting back on stage eager to put on an unforgettable performance, however it killed the vibe slightly, but also, it’s Van Mccann, he can do as he pleases. The audience's attention was won back completely during ‘Homesick’ and ‘2all’ however, and rightfully so, they’re classics which were performed exactly as recorded, no dramatic extended outros or guitar riffs lasting decades.
One extended outro I can completely get behind however, was the very very last song played, ‘Cocoon’ , a track that could go on for 20 minutes and I would still be chanting for more at the end. The snippet of ‘Dancing In The Dark’ was a fun little touch also, but what really sold it for me was the acoustic chorus at the end, in which the audience took over on vocals and did so drunkenly yet full of pure passion for this absolute belter of a modern indie classic.
This gig brought together OG millennials who’ve been fangirling for Catfish since T In The Park 2016 and Gen Z like myself experiencing the thrill of a Catfish gig for the first ever time, and it was well and truly the best way to kick off summer.
Amy Porter
