Review by Tim Marcus with photos from Sam Conquest Photography
Tonight we’re back at the Sound Lounge in Sutton, surprisingly given that it’s only fifteen minutes away from me, for only the second time. It’s a venue that’s hit the local headlines recently after a mammoth crowdfunding appeal beat all expectations and ensured the short to medium-term future of this quirky little venue situated in the middle of Sutton High Street. It’s sad to think that had the crowd funder not been a success, tonight’s live event could’ve been one of the last to take place there before the doors were closed for good. Fortunately, though that’s not the case and for owners Hannah and Kieron, those immediate worries are now behind them.
We’re here tonight to see the wonderful Catfish who are being supported this evening by an artist we’ve neither seen nor heard before, Thomas Heppell, who’ll be performing a short thirty-minute solo set before the main event. It would be easy this evening to think that rather than a Catfish gig, you were attending the upcoming UK Blues Federation awards night, so widely represented are its nominees here tonight. Aside from Thomas himself who’s been nominated for the Emerging Act of the Year award, we of course have Catfish, who themselves have been nominated in the Blues Band of the Year category as well as vocalist/guitarist Matt Long who’s up for Blues Instrumentalist of the Year.
Another nominee also appearing on stage tonight is Matt’s Dad, Paul Long, who aside from being keyboard player/vocalist with Catfish has also received a nomination for Blues Based Broadcaster of the Year. And if you think that that’s the end of it, let me tell you you’d be wrong! There’s the venue itself as the Sound Lounge is one of the five nominees for UK Blues Club/Venue of the Year along with the Tuesday Night Music Club in Coulsdon who are represented in the packed audience tonight by Richard Dunning – who himself is also a nominee for Blues Based Broadcaster of the Year! Time for a deep breath and on with tonight’s show…..
Thomas Heppell takes to the stage dapperly dressed in a red and black jacket and black hat. He receives a rousing reception from a knowledgeable audience, many of whom it’s clear have seen him before. What we get from Thomas this evening is a gentle and melodic fusion of blues, jazz and rock and some mandatory audience participation as he winds his set towards a conclusion with a great version of the much covered, almost gospel-like, “John the Revelator”, first recorded by Blind Willie Johnson some 95 plus year ago. Thomas is a confident performer and enjoys his time on the stage. It’s been short and sweet however Thomas Heppell is a name being added to our “must-see again” list.
It’s been a very difficult couple of years for Catfish and in particular the Long family. As Matt tells us two or three songs into their set tonight, Paul has recently finished his last course of radiotherapy following a cancer diagnosis some 18-24 months ago, whilst Matt himself has just embarked on what he hopes will be his final round of chemotherapy following a successful operation after he too received a cancer diagnosis back in April last year. Things are now on the up though for Catfish and there’s been a change in personnel too. Taking over on the drum stool and playing just his second gig with the band tonight, is one-third of The Wilson Brothers, Phil Wilson, in the eyes of many of the band’s fans, is the ideal successor to Kev Hickman who decided in the early new year to step away to concentrate on other projects. Not only has Phil been playing alongside brother Ash and “honorary Wilson” Roger Innes, he’s also been part of Sari Schorr’s band when she’s been touring Europe and most recently has been out on the road with Jack J Hutchinson. I’m sure all will agree that Phil is a great talent and a welcome addition to the Catfish family.
As to the set itself tonight, it’s pretty much what Catfish fans have come to expect; a mix of newer and older songs with a couple of great covers included as well. As Paul points out though even some of the newer songs we hear tonight are not that new having been in the setlist for a while although for understandable reasons have not yet made it to an album or EP release. Amongst the well-established songs we hear tonight in the first of their two sets are; “Up in Smoke” and “Soulbreaker”, both from their 2019 “Burning Bridges” album, while the “newer” songs are represented by “Change my Ways”, and “London”, the latter of which Paul tells us is going to be the title track of their forthcoming EP. Closing the opening set is something both old and new; a newer version of “So Many Roads”, a song that first appeared a few years ago on the band’s album of the same name and a track that Paul tells us they now play a little differently from the way it was first recorded.
After a short break, we’re into the second set. Established songs, “Broken Man” and “Hit the Ground Running” kick things off before we get another new, and this time a genuinely new song, “Anyway”, which Paul tells us is being played in public for only the second time tonight. A great cover of Tom Waits’s “Chocolate Jesus” follows before Thomas Heppell is invited by Matt to return to the stage to jam with them on a great rocking and bluesy version of “Let the Good Times Roll”. Again the smile and broad grin on Thomas’s face tell you all you need to know about how much he enjoys being on the stage. Catfish finally bring what has been a great evening to an end with what has become their regular set closer, a stunning rendition of “Make it Rain” which as usual brings the room to complete silence as Matt ekes out the final, softly played, solo before his sweet yet powerful vocal brings the song, and the night, to its emotionally charged conclusion.
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