Catbite played a packed and sweaty show at Manchester’s iconic Star and Garter, as part of their Doom Garden tour.
The first band on tonight is my favourite riot grrrl gang, Skint Knees. Their sing-a-long choruses and catchy riffs get the crowd warmed up (figuratively and literally). It would be hard not to get sucked in by the energy of songs like Cheerleader and Modern Prometheus.
Local punks Blagged are the second band to take to the stage tonight. Their set is a high-energy shred fest from start to finish. They remind me of a lot of 90’s punk bands I love, – you could easily slip them into a Fat Wreck Chords or Lookout! Records compilation, and they’d fit right in. Think elements of Tilt, No Use For A Name, NOFX, as well as early Tsunami Bomb.
Midway through their set, they’re joined on stage by Catbite frontwoman Brittany Luna, who joins Blagged’s Sara on vocals for a not-yet-released song. Be excited, it was a banger.
As they played their last song, the venue had really filled up. After only a fifteen minute break, it was time for our headliners.
Launching straight into recent single Die in Denver, Catbite are greeted by an audience who are more than ready to dance and sing-a-long.
The ska-punk scene has produced some amazing women vocalists (Pauline Black, Monique Powell, Elyse Rogers, Karina Denike etc), and Brittany more than deserves a place on that list. She is a captivating frontwoman, never missing a note despite constantly bouncing around the stage.
Before playing Scratch Me Up, Brittany asked us to make “cat claws” with our hands, and join in with the chorus.
Throughout their set, every member of Catbite looks like they’re having just as much fun as the crowd, who are skanking, and shouting along, with smiles plastered on their faces. It’s impossible not to have a good time with a band like Catbite.
After ending their set with the slower, but still addictive, Deteriorate, and a cover of The Zutons‘ Valerie, and crowd favourite Excuse Me Miss, they came back to play an encore of their Operation Ivy cover, Sound System.
Catbite are everything I love about ska-punk, and tonight reminded me why that’s one of my favourite sub genres. They’re coming back to the UK in October, so keep your eyes out for future dates!
Follow Skint Knees on facebook | bandcamp | instagram
Follow Blagged on facebook | instagram | bandcamp | youtube
Follow Catbite on their official site | instagram | bandcamp