Katchafire


In June 1997 an unnamed Bob Marley tribute band performed at the Te Ao Marama Festival on Raglan’s Poihakena Marae. Earlier in the year the five-piece group of young reggae lovers had started jamming Marley songs in the Hamilton garage of the Bell family. For future gigs they would fashion the title of a Marley album, Catch A Fire, as their moniker. Katchafire was born.

The original line-up was the Bell brothers, Logan (guitar, lead vocals) and Jordan (drums), plus Thompson Hohepa (guitar, vocals), Tere Ngarua (bass), and Haani Totorewa (keyboards, vocals). As a 13-year-old in 1979, Hohepa had witnessed Bob Marley perform at Western Springs. He saw gang members stride through the crowd to take up a position in front of the stage. Marley told them to put down their flags and banners, and get into the spirit of the music. Hohepa never forgot the moment; he had found a lifetime role model. 

Katchafire, May 2018.
Katchafire Australian tour 2018.
Katchafire, newcomers to the Mai Music label, at the 10 year celebration concert for Mai FM (Marae, 2002)
Katchafire, Love Today cover, February 2018. 
Katchafire's 2016 meal and drinks rider for New Zealand festivals. 
Reggae on the Mountain festival, 2017
Katchafire - Way Beyond
Katchafire - Love Today (2018)
Katchafire - Rude Girl (2004, directed by Ivan Slavov)
Lake Tahoe, May 2016.
Katchafire - Love Today (RNZ live session, 2018)
Katchafire huddle, August 2015.
Katchafire - Irie (2012)
Katchafire - Way Beyond single cover, December 2017. 
Katchafire cover Bob Marley's Punky Reggae Party on RNZ, December 2016
Katchafire's Aotearoa television debut on Mai Time, Māori Television (final episode, 2007)
Katchafire among the cacti. 
Katchafire, April 2018.
Katchafire - Get Away (2003)
Katchafire - Addicted
Katchafire - Love Letter (I Am TV final episode, 2008)
Katchafire, US tour poster 2018.
Katchafire - 100 (from Legacy album, 2018)
Katchafire, May 2018.
Bay of Islands Festival, 2018.
Katchafire - short documentary
RNZ: Alex Behan interviews Katchafire, December 2016
Katchafire - Addicted single cover, September 2017. 
Katchafire, 2017.
Katchafire, Whaingaroa Soundsplash festival, January 2019.
Katchafire - Giddy Up (2002)
Katchafire's Slow-Burning album came out on Mai/Shock in 2005. 
Reggae on the Mountain festival, Topanga Canyon, LA, 2017.
Katchafire - Legacy album cover, 2018. 
Katchafire - Down With You (2014)
Labels:

Mai Music


Zojak World Wide


Katchafire Enterprises LTD.


Universal


EMI

Members:

Logan Bell - vocals, guitar, bass

Jordan Bell - vocals, drums

Grenville Bell - guitar, vocals

Thompson Hohepa - guitar, vocals

Tere Ngarua - bass, guitar

Jamey Ferguson - saxophone

Leon Davey - percussion, vocals

Ara Adams-Tamatea - bass

Haani Totorewa - keyboards, vocals

Wiremu Barraball - guitar, talkbox

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