Today I’m going to be telling you about are Artist of the Week Punk Rock Band I’ll Catch Fire!
Here’s their story in their own words. Enjoy!
VMS: “When did you start writing and performing your music. What’s your backstory.”
I’ll Catch Fire: “The original concept of I’ll Catch Fire by name and sound started in 2014 with Dave and Matty. Although there were many iterations in the lineup and life and schedule weirdness, it was always something we wanted to do and in 2022 we finally put all the pieces together. It’s been a journey to get here but we think it’s the best version of itself now.”
VMS: “What artist or bands inspire you and your sound.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Jeff – “Brand New, Saves the Day, Bayside and Chocolate Jesus“
Sean – “Sheena Easton, Cyndi Lauper, Everclear (the liquor) and Fall Out Boy”
Dave – “No Use For A Name, The Ataris, A Day To Remember, The Story So Far “
Matty – “Alkaline Trio, Pulley, Unwritten Law and Box Car Racer”
VMS: “What’s your writing process and inspiration for your music.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Sean – “Matty wrote a lot of the original music, I write the lyrics and we fuck it up together.”
Matty – “Inspiration hits us at weird times. When that happens I try to get into Logic and lay the groundwork. At least a minute worth of instrumentation, I usually put a pair of guitars in, play the most simple bass root I can and typically throw some terrible robo drums on it to capture the energy. Once we get together– Jeff changes the bass to his liking, Dave makes fun of my robo drums and plays something much better and the real song builds from there. Sean is usually rocking back and forth in the corner in a cold sweat because he knows we’re going to ask him for a vocal melody soon after. Which we do and he delivers. Vocal melodies are always the hardest part, but we brainstorm with Sean’s lyrics and figure out what the song needs.”
VMS: “I love your new song “Bophades” and “Lonely”. What’s the story or inspiration behind these songs.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Dave – “With Lonely, we wanted a nice song to introduce people to ICF, in a way that wasn’t too aggressive, was more upbeat and with nostalgic vibes. For “Bophades”, we wanted to make it more of a punch in the face… did it work?”
Sean – “Sadness, despair and Greek mythology.”
Listen to “Lonely” on Spotify:
Listen to “Bophades” on Spotify:
VMS: “What do you want your audience to feel and experience at one of your live shows.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Jeff – “A friend listened to our demos and said, ‘I feel like I’m 13 again, just finding Blink and all those other bands for the first time and I love that feeling.’ – I couldn’t imagine anything better than that.”
Dave – “Honestly, I want people to just have a good time. Hopefully they’ll be there for us and be singing along and moshing.”
Sean – “Nostalgia and the need to dance and punch!”
Matty – “Shows have always been some of my favorite memories, I hope we can be a favorite memory for someone else.”
VMS: “Which local artist would you like to work with and why.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Sean – “Criss Angel, because… yeah”
Matty – “There are so many talented bands and musicians in Vegas, most of them are way out of my league but if I could take my pick? I’d say Crimson Riot or Wheelchair Mosh Pit would be awesome to do something with as they’re giants and everyone says they’re super nice. Paper Dad is rad, I feel compelled to mention that. Also, I’d love to make a music video with the people from Cirque because nothing says ‘Vegas’ quite like they do. While we’re at it, maybe we can pull Fat Mike out of his museum to work with us now that he’s a local too? Codefendants are fuckin’ sick by the way.”
VMS: “What’s your overall theme or message of your music.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Dave – “Nostalgic skate punk to bring the old people like us a walk down memory lane, but in a new way!”
Sean – “It’s okay to be sad as long as it sounds happy!”
Matty – “A lot of things suck, don’t keep it to yourself. Most of the people around you make it all worth it. Speak your mind with words or whatever medium you can– It’ll come together and it matters; You matter.”
VMS: “What does the future hold for I’ll Catch Fire.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Sean – “Kickass shows, badass merch and albums that you’ll play for years.”
Matty – “More music is on the way, more media too, videos and behind the scenes stuff.”
Dave – “If we had a Delorean, we’d tell you!”
VMS: “Do you have any crazy awesome stories from working in the music scene that you would like to share, or anyone that you have met or loved working with.”
I’ll Catch Fire:
Jeff – “Dave and I played a show out in Pahrump with that same band at The Hub. Some random band wanted to open for us so we said, Sure why not. Everything seemed normal at first but then they started playing some stuff that didn’t quite match the crowd– By the end of it, the singer had stripped down to a diaper and was pouring fake blood on himself. Best show I’ve ever played. After that, we could’ve played Cotton Eyed Joe for an hour straight and the crowd would have been thrilled.”
Matty – “My wife made banana bread during one of our recording sessions, dude… hell yeah!”
Other Notes from I’ll Catch Fire:
“I’ll Catch Fire / ICF is new to the scene but not new to Vegas. We are really looking forward to putting out more music in 2024, going to shows and being a proud part of our culture here. We’ve already spoken to so many people, received encouragement and a LOT of love.
To everyone who’s listening and reaching out to us on social media or individually – We are humbled and seriously appreciate you. Our first song “Lonely” has exceeded our wildest expectations– we’ve been fortunate enough to be on KOMP 92.3’s Homegrown Show for seven weeks in a row! Laurie, you rock – Thank you for putting us on!
A massive thank you to Vegas Music Scene for spotting us so far out on the horizon and showing us major love since day one. Without editorials like yours and so many others in the valley, our music and bands would be nearly invisible to the rest of the world. You’re putting us on the map and validating us one post at a time – Thank you so very much.
It’s no secret we’re here now. We want to know you, we want to see you and we want to hear from you. If you’re reading this we want to know you’re out there!”
Please find us online via our website at
and drop us a line!—–ICF
What I’ve always loved about “I’ll Catch Fire” is the wonderful punk rock feel that takes me back to a very special place and time in my life. I really started getting into music back in middle school, and that magic rush you get of hearing something new and exciting. That’s how I feel when I listen to “I’ll Catch Fire”. I get that rush again, that excitement! Between their fun and punchy lyrics, gritty but commanding guitar and drums, and the awesome vocal stylings of their singer Sean, they are a perfect combination of the punk rock vibe, and I’m so excited to see what the future holds for them!
—–VMS
For more information, follow them on their Social Media platforms.
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/illcatchfire_?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
Spotify: