On Sunday 25th August 2024, we joined the 30,000 strong crowd to watch Stockport band Blossoms take on their biggest headline show to date, and what a show it was.
With a host of talented acts on the bill, this felt more like a mini festival than simply a gig, with excitement building with each set throughout the day for the highly anticipated grande finale.
Kicking things off was emerging local band The Guest List, followed by psychedelic rock band Trruuces, then a set from rising star Seb Lowe, who’s distinctive voice and state-of-the-nation polemics had me quickly joining his rapidly growing fan base.
Next up was indie band The K’s, who really got the crowd going with their upbeat tunes and witty personalities. The highly anticipated Shed Seven then followed, who to the crowd’s delight, combined old classics such as ‘Chasing Rainbows’ and ‘Going for Gold’ with some more recent tracks from their brand new album.
The final support slot was filled by none other than Irish sensations Inhaler, whose performance did not disappoint, and set the tone perfectly, getting the crowd geared up for the main event.
It was finally now the moment everyone had been eagerly waiting for, and at 21:05 sharp, the Blossoms lads took to the stage, diving straight into ‘Your Girlfriend’, as the crowd erupted into song. This was followed by a perfect mix of nostalgic hits such as ‘The Keeper’, ‘Oh No (I Think I’m in Love)’ and everyone’s favourite ‘Charlemagne’, along with tunes from their most recent album ‘Gary’. Gary himself even made a guest appearance on stage, in the form of an 8 foot fibreglass gorilla statue who it’s claimed has been stolen from a garden centre!
“Lads, I’ve got a feeling we’re not on Oldham Street anymore” was a poignant quote from lead singer Tom Ogden, showing just how far the band have come over the past 11 years, from playing Manchester venues such as The Castle Hotel and Gullivers, to festival slots and huge headline shows like this one.
Having attended a number of Blossoms gigs over the years, one thing I love to see is the span of several generations over the audience, all brought together by their love of the band – and this show was certainly no exception. Their feel good music, loveable personalities and charismatic stage presence really do make this band extremely hard to dislike, and keep fans of all ages coming back for more.
All in all, this was not only Blossoms’ biggest show yet, but in my opinion certainly their best, proving to us all they’re fully deserving of headliner status. It was extremely well organised from start to finish, and left us on a high that had me counting down the days until the release of their brand new album ‘Gary’, which has been playing on repeat all week!
