About

Cats and Crows is an acoustic folk project based in North Wales, UK.

Isaac Birchall is the founding member of Cats and Crows, and has been a well known singer-songwriter on the North Wales circuit for nearly 20 years.

The early years

Having gigged under his own name as a one-man acoustic act for well over a decade, performing mostly covers at the countless wonderful pubs and clubs in the area, Isaac found that his own musical style varied heavily, from hard rock and metal to delicate acoustic and folk.

Isaac and the Beekeepers (2014 to 2015)

The blend of the two genres led to a band called Isaac and the Beekeepers in 2014, and the release of their first and only album, Where We Are, in 2015. It was a loud, shouty, rock-and-acoustic effort that enjoyed plenty of local success, with a sold-out album launch party at the now closed Rewind bar in Wrexham in the summer of 2015.

The band played all over North Wales and the North West (Cheshire, Liverpool, Manchester and so on) over a couple of years. While writing their next album, though, Isaac found that as he entered his late 20s his style was mellowing away from heavy rock, and the band's vocal style was taking a toll on his voice.

And so, enter Cats and Crows

It started as an outlet for the softer, folkier side of his music, but it soon became clear that Cats and Crows was where Isaac had found his musical home. Isaac and the Beekeepers disbanded, with Andy Cooper (drums) dutifully coming over as the longest serving member and Isaac's musical compadre. Andy has drummed on quite literally everything Isaac has put out over the last 10 years, and it's hard to imagine the sound of Cats and Crows without him.

Almost from day one, Cats and Crows was a revolving door project. Whoever was available and willing at the time was "in the band", be that the absolute powerhouse virtuoso that is Andy Cooper or an entire choir. The idea was simple: write beautiful music that comes from a place of honesty and truth, put it on record, and hope that people hear it and connect with it.

Honest Crimes (2016)

By the summer of 2016 our first album, Honest Crimes, was out, featuring a whole host of friends and family chipping in. Twelve people in fact, including Isaac's dad, Chris Birchall (guitar), and the late Dave Newman (piano).

Winter (2018)

In 2018 we released our second album, Winter. It received some lovely reviews online and featured what became one of the favourite songs of the late and dearly missed Peter Footitt of Music Mine Studios and the Well Inn Festival.

The Mourning After (2020)

2020 saw us write and release our "lockdown album", The Mourning After, with Andy and Isaac collaborating remotely. With venues closed, we hosted a virtual launch party on Facebook and Instagram that over 200 people attended, where we streamed the songs and got to experience them together with a lovely online community.

This Time Will Pass Anyway (2026)

Which leads us to today.

We're putting the finishing touches to our upcoming album, This Time Will Pass Anyway, featuring a whole host of friends we've made over the last few years from all over the world.

Words can't describe the pride we feel for this album. We can't wait for you to hear it.

In memoriam

My friends on the wall

Dave Newman

Piano on Honest Crimes · lost in 2017

A warm, honest, no-prisoners gent.

Dave wrote and recorded piano on our first album, Honest Crimes.

A warm, honest, no-prisoners gent who was the first to turn up when you needed help and the last to leave when you needed an ear. He adored talking about music and about all the gigs he'd been to.

I first met Dave in around 2012 and, as everyone did, quickly grew very fond of him. Many a night sat at the bar of our local pub putting the world to rights. Despite the age gap, he always felt like a friend who treated me as an equal.

Dave played piano for the North Wales tribute band Pinc Ffloyd, who I opened for on more than one occasion. Their first gig without him was profoundly sad, yet a beautiful tribute.

He was sometimes the only person who came to my gigs. He'd travel specially for them, and would always make his presence known by playfully shouting "Freebird!" at me at the most inopportune moments. He was a true supporter of local music.

When I asked Dave if he'd play piano on my album, the answer was a quick and resounding yes.

I'll never forget the day he turned up at my house with enough gear for a stadium tour. I only needed some piano, but he'd come prepared, just in case.

We lost Dave suddenly and unexpectedly in 2017, and he is dearly missed to this day.

I often think to myself, how lucky am I that I get to put on that album and, through the power of music, close my eyes and be in the same room as my absent friend again?

He is forever immortalised on our very first recordings, and for that I am eternally grateful.

It was an absolute privilege, Dave.

Hear Dave's piano on Honest Crimes

Peter Footitt

Music Mine Studios · lost in January 2024

Up In The Sky has been, and always will be, introduced as Pete's song.

Pete was an absolute champion of the North Wales music scene.

He ran Music Mine Studios in Ffynnongroyw, and organised and promoted countless events and festivals, including the Well Inn Festival and the We Are The Cae Festival.

One afternoon in 2019, as I was driving to the festival to play my slot at Bethel Chapel in Holywell, I received a phone call from a friend.

"Hello mate, where are you?"

"Driving to Holywell, why?" I replied.

"Well, I'm here, and you're supposed to be playing now and everyone is wondering where you are."

I was still an hour away. There was nothing I could do at all. I'd got my timings wrong and was an hour late for my own gig!

I immediately phoned Pete, grovelling and apologising, expecting to be rightly told off. Instead, he calmly told me two things. First, that it was no problem, because another band were doing an extra set. Second, that unfortunately he couldn't slot me in any other time that day, so I had no gig to play.

What blew my mind was that when I asked if I should turn around and go home, he said I should definitely still come. He'd keep the chapel open after everyone had packed up so that I could still get some videos for social media, on one condition: that I played our song Up In The Sky, which he'd told me was one of his favourites. What an honour!

So I turned up, filmed a couple of songs in an empty chapel, and on finishing that song was met with rapturous applause from Pete, who had been waiting in the wings, listening.

Pete invited me back to perform at numerous gigs in the years since, and always had time for a chat. He was always full of praise and full of love for what he was doing.

He left us in January 2024 and is dearly missed.

In his memory, Up In The Sky has been, and always will be, introduced as Pete's song.

Rest easy.

Read the lyrics to Pete's song, Up in the sky

Ask us to play

Venues, festivals, folk nights and chapels with good acoustics are all very welcome.

Get in touch