“MANCHESTER IT’S BEEN TOO LONG”| BLOSSOMS MANCHESTER CLUB ACADEMY REVIEW
Last Saturday, Stockport indie icons Blossoms returned to their native Manchester for a special one-off show at Club Academy to celebrate the return of Club NME.
A band known for always doing things a little differently, from their 70’s retro styling, to their tour with the one and only Rick Astley, (and who could forget the unlikely pairing’s hilarious set at this year’s Glastonbury festival) it’s hard to predict what the genre bending five piece will do next.
But one thing’s for sure, you can always rely on Blossoms to bring their inherent sense of fun, and push their own musical boundaries, making them the perfect candidates to headline last weekend’s extra special Club NME x Ladbrokes Live event.
Such a special show was deserving of a special venue, and Club Academy is one that many a Mancunian holds dear in their heart. For me, it was the venue that hosted first gig I ever attended without my parents as a teenager, for others it holds memories of making friends on fresher’s nights, or of discovering a new band that goes on to be a treasured favourite. But the real magic of the place comes from knowing that countless of the city’s rising stars have graced the stage in the University’s smallest room at the start of their careers – including the night’s headliners themselves way back in 2015.
Since that appearance, now with 3 UK number 1 albums under their belts, Blossoms have finessed the art of balancing nuance with nostalgia, and Saturday’s Club Academy show did exactly that.
The 470-capacity venue is a far cry from the types of stages that the Stockport lads (and their fans) have become accustomed to, but this gig felt in equal parts a trip down memory lane, and a celebration of where they are now for the band. With a set list spanning their decade long career, it was a truly special experience for the handful of lucky fans that managed to bag themselves one of the limited free tickets.
After a DJ set from Sunta Templeton, the crowd were suitably warmed up thanks to a set full of sing along indie hits. The lights dimmed and the headliners took to the stage, launching straight into their latest single, To Do List (After The Break Up) with bassist Charlie Salt picking up fellow Stopfordian Findley’s vocal parts perfectly. This seamlessly transitioned into the Nolans-esque pop anthem Care For, from 2022’s ‘Ribbon Around the Bomb’, a song which it is just impossible not to dance to, signalling that tonight was going to be nothing short of a party.
Between songs, frontman Tom Ogden breathed a sigh of relief, stating: “Manchester, it’s been too long”, which was met with cheers of agreement from the crowd. Bar a one-off show for the Sounds of the City festival at Castlefield Bowl last year, this was the first time that the five piece had played in their hometown since selling out a phenomenal 4 nights at the O2 Apollo in December 2022. It was clear to see that Manchester has missed these hometown heroes, who are both a product and now pioneers of the city’s rich musical culture.
A special moment in the set came from a performance of debut single You Pulled a Gun on Me, which turns 10 years old this year, transporting the room back to the 2014 and bringing back memories of when Blossoms broke the local scene, playing in rooms very similar to this one.
‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ opener If You Think This is Real Life was met with a full crowd sing along, with frontman Tom dancing expressively along and encouraging the crowd participation. Continuing their usual theme of unpredictability, My Swimming Brain’s inclusion in the setlist was chosen via a poll on the band’s Instagram page, letting fans have their own little piece of input, adding to the exclusive feel of the already special night.
Your Girlfriend was greeted with friends climbing onto each other’s shoulders, and guitarist Josh Dewhurst brought the song to a suitably theatrical crescendo on the lap steel guitar.
As the bands time on stage was nearly up, a synth-soaked rendition of There’s a Reason Why had the room bouncing from the front to the back. And of course, there was only one way to end a show this special, as Charlemagne prompted the crowd to turn into a sea of friends and strangers jumping along with their arms around each other, a real moment to treasure forever for the band and fans alike.
For those not quite ready to end the night there, a DJ set from The Lottery Winners kept the party going into the small hours, really putting the ‘club’ into ‘Club NME’.
Blossoms will return to Manchester on the 25th August, for a one-off bank holiday show at Wythenshawe Park, with Inhaler, Shed Seven and The K’s all joining the bill.
Get your tickets here: Blossoms – Live From Wythenshawe Park, 2024
Author
