BRIT Award-winning, arena-filling giants Catfish and the Bottlemen today announce a special anniversary reissue of their multi Platinum-selling breakthrough debut album The Balcony. Released on 13 September, the album will be available on limited edition CD, Cassette and ultra-clear 2LP with inverted white artwork and 6 bonus tracks. Fans can also access a 7” box set, limited to 2,000 copies worldwide, which features the full album, plus “Hourglass” (Ewan McGregor version) and rare bonus track “ASA,” available on a 7” again for the first time after the original pressing 10 years ago.
Written by Van McCann and recorded in London’s Chapel Studios with producer Jim Abiss (Adele, Arctic Monkeys), The Balcony propelled Catfish and the Bottlemen into the UK top 10 and the public consciousness, scooping them the BBC Introducing Award at the 2014 BBC Music Awards and British Breakthrough act at the 2016 BRIT Awards. Featuring the BPI Platinum certified hits “Cocoon” and “Kathleen” as well as another 4 certified Gold singles, its infectious, arena-ready riffs and relatable lyrics about small town teenage life won the band legions of fans. An unrivalled work ethic that saw them relentlessly tour the UK, Europe, the US and beyond has forged a connection that’s stronger than ever 10 years, hundreds of shows and millions of album sales later.
The 2LP, 1CD and cassette releases feature the original track listing plus special acoustic versions of “Cocoon,” “Kathleen” and “Pacifier,” recorded in 2015 for 1 Mic 1 Take, “Rango” (single version), longtime supporter Ewan McGregor’s 2015 acoustic cover of “Hourglass,” and rare fan favourite bonus track “ASA,” Longstanding fans will be thrilled to get their hands on the 7” box set, which is inspired by the limited run of 7” singles used to promote the band before the album’s release. It includes album versions of each of these singles, plus ‘ASA’ and ‘Hourglass’ (Ewan McGregor version), and replicates the artwork that was originally released. Full track listing below.
The news of the reissue comes in the wake of a spectacular return from Catfish and the Bottlemen, who sold out their biggest ever show, at Liverpool’s 32,000 capacity Sefton Park, just a week after going on sale. The Liverpool concert comes ahead of three huge open air shows in Cardiff and Edinburgh, announced last month, both of which went on to sell out in minutes, as well as their epic return to the Reading & Leeds Festival mainstage, which they headline for the second time in 2024. They’ll play Dublin’s RDS Simmonscourt on August 31 before heading off on extensive tours of Australia and the US, with nearly half of these huge global shows already sold out.
Catfish and the Bottlemen’s arena-filling sonic outlook has cemented their place amongst Britain’s most successful bands of the 21st Century. Signing to Island Records in 2014 after years of intense touring, The Balcony was followed by landmark #1 album The Ride and 2019’s Gold certified The Balance. They’ve amassed over one billion streams, two million album sales and are closing in on 10 million single sales. On stage Van McCann possesses unique magnetic energy, and is considered one of modern rock’s great live frontmen. In the five years since releasing their debut album, they’d sold over half a million tickets, and have played to over 2 million people.
10 years on from the release of their classic debut, with the anthemic new single “Showtime” and an epic live summer ahead of him, Van McCann is back where he’s meant to be: headlining festivals, working on new music, and beginning a dynamic, exciting new era for Catfish and the Bottlemen.
Catfish and the Bottlemen UK & IRE Live dates:
July 11 – Sefton Park, Liverpool
July 19 – Cardiff Castle, Cardiff
July 20 – Cardiff Castle, Cardiff
August 23 – Leeds Festival
August 24 – Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh
August 25 – Reading Festival
August 31 – RDS Simmonscourt, Dublin
Pre-order the 10th anniversary edition of The Balcony.