Dogcatcher is an indie band influenced equally by vintage soul music, folky Americana, and contemporary hip-hop beats. Based out of San Jose, in the south-side of the San Francisco Bay Area, Dogcatcher has released a self-titled record in 2016, the groove-driven record “It’s Easy” in 2012, preceded by the more acoustic “KILR” in 2011, with a new record called “Each Time I Pass This Way Feels Safer” releasing in 2026.
After after a stint with the Marines in the Iraq war, Andrew Heine chose the artist’s path, going as far as to live out of his car in San Diego, selling his paintings for burrito money. Andrew formed Dogcatcher during that time in San Diego, eventually relocating to the SF Bay Area and releasing the debut album “KILR” in 2011. During the process of recording “KILR”, Andrew picked up drummer Ramon Esquivel. Although Jared Milos had initially played trumpet and trombone on selected tracks on “KILR”, he quickly stepped in to fill the bass guitar spot in Dogcatcher shortly after the record’s release.
Having played 3-hour sets at the local dive bar, Dogcatcher moved into a more groove-oriented mode, which is represented on their second record “Be Easy,” released in 2012. Dogcatcher’s self-titled third album was released in 2016.
Dogcatcher grabbed their newest members in 2016: Geoff McCann on guitar and Joey Guthrie on percussion and auxiliary instruments. This line-up released the single “SRM” in 2018 featuring rapper Gift of Gab from Blackalicious.
After spending the downtime of the 2020 global pandemic building a recording studio in his basement, Andrew Heine and crew began work on the fourth Dogcatcher album “Each Time I Pass This Way Feels Safer” which is set for a 2026 release.
Dogcatcher has taken their hybrid of folk rock and hip-hop beats to audiences at the Fillmore Poster Room, Slim’s, The Elbo Room, Bottom of the Hill, The Ritz, The Blank Club, The Art Boutiki, San Pedro Square and many other great venues.
Dogcatcher was chosen twice as one of the top-20 local bands in the Bay Area by Modern Rock radio station Live 105 in 2012 and 2013, and has played acoustic sets in the Poster Room of the legendary Fillmore during performances by Tweedy (Jeff Tweedy of Wilco), Haim, The Eels, Spiritualized, The Dandy Warhols, Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes), Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.