Double Header: Catfish | Northsyde

Friday 12th January
Bar: 7:00pm / Doors: 7:30pm / Show: 8:00pm
Tickets: £12.00 General Admission
Seating: Cabaret Unreserved / Standing

Catfish
Catfish's debut album 'So Many Roads' went straight to no. 1 in the IBBA blues airplay charts on its release in January 2015.The new EP, 'When BB Sings the Blues', a tribute to BB King, was no 5 in the IBBA blues airplay chart for February and March 2016.

Within their first year, they were nominated twice as finalists in the British Blues Awards 2015 - the band in the Emerging Artist category and Paul Long for keyboards. They followed this with three more nominations in the British Blues Awards 2016 - Band of the Year, Young Artist of the Year for Matt Long and Keyboard Player of the Year again for Paul Long. Paul won the keyboards category and Matt was runner up in Young Artist. A very proud day for the band.

They have also played at iconic music venues including the 100 Club in Oxford Street and the Eel Pie Club in Twickenham following in the footsteps of The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and The Who.

Their much anticipated new album 'Broken Man' was released on Sunday 29th January at the iconic Half Moon Putney. See the Music dropdown on this website for more information on the album.

When BB Sings the Blues EP... 'a captivating release from an immensely talented band and in Matthew Long they clearly have a star of the future in their midst, proving that contemporary Blues is in the safe hands of the next generation.' – Nigel Foster?

'Blistering guitar wizardry from Matt Long.' (Alan Glen, Yardbirds).

Northsyde
Founded in 2005, the four piece Northsyde began life as Funkydory. Their debut album "Still" was released in 2006 to fine reviews, and the band toured consistently for the next several years in support of it, and growing a dedicated fanbase. With a grooving combination of Rock, Funk and a serious nod to the Blues - their follow up album "Mercy's Medicine" was released independently in 2009, again to strong acclaim. This was followed by "Storyteller's Daughter" in 2014 (nominated for "Best British Blues Album" in the same year).

The band is fronted by vocalist Lorna Fothergill, who is also the main lyricist and songwriter. With a dynamic and powerful vocal style, she has been described as "Robert Plant meets Aretha, with a hint of Janis". Guitarist Jules Fothergill is well respected amongst his peers for developing an unorthodox mix of melodic and rhythmical improvisation, whether playing lead or slide guitar in a wide variety of musical settings. Bassist Ian Mauricio has an unusual style, being left handed, and stringing the bass upside-down, again contributing a musicality to the group which defies placement in any particular niche. Completing the line-up is drummer Hayden Doyle, whose confident grooves combine to give the band a sound quite unlike any of their contemporaries on the modern Blues and Rock circuit. The quartet have remained together for over 10 years and their on-stage chemistry continues to be a defining attribute.

With each member of the band having unique and diverse influences, their style is eclectic, but identifiable. A heady mix of soulful Blues, shaking Funk, and Zep-style riffing, it has been best described as what you'd get from "Stanley Clarke strapped to the front of a Intercity 125 with Janis Joplin driving." - while not fitting into an easily defined pigeon-hole, sampling their music live is usually the best introduction. With little interest in recreating any specific musical era or idiom, they prefer to blend together their own individual contributions to form a distinct and energetic combination.

Thanks to a consistent approach to performing, Northsyde have grown into a well oiled music machine, capable of entertaining even the most discerning audiences. Their many career highlights have included performances from Guilfest to the Maryport Blues Festival, from London's Ealing Festival to the Cambridge Rock Festival, from headling the Hebden Bridge Blues Festival to supporting Joe Bonamassa in London. Recent years have also seen them performing as far afield as Holland, Italy, Germany, Russia, India and the Carribean.

Northsyde have been well represented at the British Blues Awards in recent years, being nominated as finalists in 2014 for Best Female Vocals, Best Blues Band, Best Guitarist, Best Bass Player, Best Drummer and Best Blues Album. They repeated this feat in both 2015 and 2016 with nominations as finalists for Best Female Vocals, Best Blues Band, Best Guitarist, Best Bass Player and Best Drummer! (http://www.britishbluesawards.com)

2017 sees the band currently working on their fourth studio album, slated for a summer release.

"Step aside Beth Hart and Dana Fuchs, Lorna is here... Powerful vocals need a powerful band and they provide some great guitar riffs and suitably supercharged backing to what proves a very memorable, striking, electric performance..." - Slap Magazine

"Gigging across Britain, Holland and Italy has seen Northsyde develop into a tight-knit unit, and display excellent musicianship individually: Jules is the best lead guitarist you've never head of. Meanwhile, Lorna's voice was a match for any blues rock vocalist, male or female, while Ian Mauricio's fluid bass and Hayden Doyle's powerful drumming perfectly underpinned the whole." - Classic Rock - The Blues Magazine

"Northsyde is an accomplished band combining Jules silky guitar licks, Lorna's exceptional voice and a rhythm section of Hayden Doyle (Drums) and Ian Mauricio (Bass), to rank with the best in the business." - Blues Matters Magazine