Catch is an odd venue to be honest. Downstairs has a bar, background music, pool table and seating booths – think faded Americana and you won’t go far wrong. Up the narrow spiral staircase, though, and you find yourself in the kind of spit-and-sawdust gig space that is so typical to London – narrow room, low ceiling. You get the feeling that they could make much better use of the space, but why bother as things are rolling along pretty well as is. I was there to catch (ahem) Indiesexual, another successful night from the ubiquitous Broccoli Music clan – brother and sister team Mikee and Katie Corcoran (or ‘Broccoli’ as they have, perhaps unfairly, become known).
The night has been running for more than three years now, and is another step in their plans for global domination of the ‘up-and-coming but not signed yet’ bands market. Going on the evidence of their website, booking policy tends towards the eclectic, with previous acts including the likes of The Krak, Joanna and the Wolf, Hatcham Social, Popular Workshop, and the now sadly defunct Mescalitas. Tonight’s entertainment came from The Cavaliers, The Supernovas, The Broadcasts, and Miss Davina Lee (‘The’ Miss Davina Lees were obviously not available, or they couldn’t get her to change her name…). DJing support came from the Broccoli kids themselves, debuting on the one’s and two’s in fine style.
There is something endearingly British about Miss Davina Lee. She may come on stage dressed like Lovefoxx, all pink leopard prints and gold lame leggings, but she races through her set more like Lovesquirrel – all hopping from one foot to another and self-conscious chatter interspersing the tracks as if Hugh Grant was fronting an indie band. It’s a winning formula that puts you on-side almost instantly. There is something particularly wonderful about watching a performer who gets so into the music that she forgets to sing into the microphone. The music itself was fun – all electro beats underpinned with some nice acoustic guitar work. Next time give the girl a higher stand for her keyboard though…
Next up were The Broadcasts, peddling poppy, upbeat glam-indie that was hard to resist, and few did. All driven guitars and witty vocal lines, you can really see why these boys are a firm favourite with the radio powers that be. Their sound isn’t fully formed as yet, with different songs bringing in occasionally disparate elements, but once they find their balance, perhaps during the album-writing process they are currently going through, they’re going to be a fine prospect.
The Supernovas had brought quite the crowd with them – always a plus as it will endear you to the promoter if nothing else – and proceeded to entertain in the well-worn style of mildly punk indie, sounding like an amalgam of fellow Nambucca-ites The Holloways, Elle Milano (their track ‘City of Smoke’ could just as easily have been ‘Sexy in Latin’), and the Buzzcocks. Just because it was of a type, though, didn’t mean it wasn’t enjoyable. The band were obviously into, and true to, what they were doing, and the songs were carried off with a panache that lifts them above the average, and could well ensure that Holy Grail of all acts on the London circuit, label interest.
Finally, we had The Cavaliers to wrap things up. The Supernovas have previously supported Pete Doherty, The Cavaliers seem to enjoy fearsomely channelling him, if you believe previous press reports on their activities. I guess the Babyshambles influences were there to be seen, but The Cavaliers have much more in the locker in terms of how to create an interesting chord structure than Doherty et al have ever had. To this reviewer the style of the songs was rather more reminiscent of a slightly more louche Strokes, but with sweeter melodic lines a la Boy Kill Boy. Honestly? It was bloody ripper! Some excellent music on display, twinned with a bit of a, deserved, swagger.
Verdict:
Strong band line-ups, DJs who are obviously enjoying themselves, and pleasant door staff. It’s an aptly named venue for this Catch-y night. You should ‘Catch’ it very soon (that’s enough catch gags…)
Where Next:
Miss Davina Lee - no gig listed
The Broadcasts - @ The Bull & Gate on 28th October
The Supernovas - Abstract Noun all-dayer @ The Ramshackle on 26th October
The Cavaliers - @ 93 Feet East on 15th October
Indiesexual - Indiesexual returns to Catch on 12th November with It's a Trap!, The Hateful, and Burning Pilot
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