VAN McCann might as well have recited his Christmas shopping list in front of the audience at Liverpool Academy.

The reaction would have been the same. The frontman of Catfish and The Bottlemen was met by crazed fans, all bustling to get to the front of the capacity crowd.

For what was experienced was a band riding on one of the highest waves of popularity recently seen and not only rising to the challenge, but surpassing themselves and showing that they have the ability to be one of the country's biggest bands.

The first time I saw Catfish, back in October 2012, they were making their first appearance in Warrington at Friars Court. They ended the night handing out self burnt CDs.

They went on to further cut their teeth on the live circuit with two more appearances in the town, as part of a near ending cycle of touring the country.

Since then, the band has gone on to have a top 10 debut album, The Balcony, and in the past week, picked up the first BBC Introducing Award at Earls Court.

This wasn't even the biggest show in Liverpool the band have been booked to play, with Catfish selling out the much larger Guild of Students venue in April 2015 before even stepping out at Academy 1.

With the band's stock rising rapidly and trading their hired van in for a tour bus, was there a chance the fame would go to their heads? Playing at a venue they dreamed of playing since they were 14, you'd think not if you saw the look on Van's face as he left the crowd to sing back to him a number of occasions.

Walking in the Academy, the venue was full long before Scottish two piece, Honeyblood took to the stage and they impressed, drawing comparisons to Strawberry Switchblade or a grungey Haim.

The night however belonged to the four-piece from Llandundno, with Larry, their long time friend and tech, drawing a huge cheer as he came on stage.

Another cheer was to follow when the award they won just nights before was lit up by the stage lights as it sat, pride of place on a guitar amp before they appeared.

Opener 'Rango' was followed by 'Pacifier', both singles sang in near unison by the crowd. Not even when it came to the acoustic track 'Hourglass', did the frenzied crowd stop.

The band have never denied they want to play and sell out the UK's largest arenas and now, as they win over NME, hold down a place on radio A-lists, and continue to sell out venues across the country, the cat (fish) is truly out the bag.

And with down-to-earth songs about being young in the north, that haven't been as relatable since Arctic Monkeys' debut album, their future is as bright as the flare that was set off during closing track 'Tyrants'.

LEE HARMAN