TOM GRENNAN & GUESTS BRING THE BEST OF NEW BRITISH POP TO GUNNERSBURY PARK

Like me, if you are having to Google the meaning of “brat summer” this year, then you could have saved yourself a few clicks and seen the meaning for yourself at Gunnersbury Park on Saturday. The afternoon’s acts were a carefully curated roster of fresh new talent that are showcasing the carefree and fun attitude of British pop in 2024. 

Liv Dawson 

Liv Dawson opened the stage with her blend of soulful melody and upbeat rhythm. I had not come across Liv previously, but her relaxed sound and flowing vocals were a welcome start to the day. Had anyone been in the crowd from Fisher’s Friday headline DJ set at the same venue, then the relaxed start to Saturday would have been welcome relief. Highlight track was “Tapestry” which has found its way onto my own wind down playlist.

Mae Stephens

Mae Stephens’ take on dealing with very painful topics such as bullying, feeling restricted by small town mentality, heartbreak, and suffering with ADHD are all worn on her sleeve during her set. And yet her performance is genuinely uplifting: these are clearly topics that resonate with her young-er audience and there is catharsis in expelling these demons together. The surprising highlight of her set comes from publicly announcing that her boyfriend has until the end of the year to propose to her before launching into “Make Me Your Mrs”. A warm-hearted set mixed with bounce and flair, “Small Town Syndrome” and “Boozy Bitch” are the tracks to look out for here.

Caity Baser 

Green boxing shorts on, adorned with “brat” on the back, Caity Baser storms onto stage as if she is preparing for the biggest night of her life. Her performance is quick-paced, fun, and funny. Her sound isn’t a million miles from Meghan Trainor but with the potty-mouthed witticism of Kate Nash. Caity’s natural charisma and stage-presence make this set theatrical and inviting (aptly-recognised by Caity mid-set with her tribute to Freddie Mercury). A knockout set with highlights including “DILF”, “Would You (Go To Bed With Me)” and “I’m a Problem”. 

Blossoms 

At this point in their career, Blossoms are a band that require little introduction. The 8-piece band is a welcome tonic in amongst the line-up of synthesisers and backing tracks. Despite their hour set, it is amazing how many hit tracks are still missing from their setlist, which is only further testament to their ability to produce hits. The band fully embrace the fun of the afternoon and new track “Gary” (a song that singer Tom confesses is inspired by a true story of an 8-foot fibreglass gorilla that was stolen from a local garden centre) lands well with audience members, who supply their own inflatable monkey to be surfed towards the front. The success of their new music suggests that an upcoming tour to promote the album may be the hottest ticket for 2025.

Tom Grennan 

Like Caity Baser, Grennan enters the stage in boxing attire. At this point in the proceedings though the crowd are not putting up a fight: there has been an undercurrent of excitement through the festival pitch for this moment in the day and they are ready. Grennan’s set covers his career to-date and pleasingly he walks on to “Gilette”, showing pop-stardom and success have left his sense of humour intact.

Grennan wastes no time getting into the swing of things, opening with “If Only”. It is not long before the fireworks are echoing around the park, and they don’t seem to end until Grennan walks off stage an hour and a half later. There is nothing missing from the singer’s set, even treating the crowd to new tracks, “Full Attention” and “Higher”. Set finale “Little Bit of Love”, with accompanying pyrotechnics, are just the cherry on the cake of a truly euphoric afternoon. 

Grennan is clearly impressive and takes charge of the performance from start-to-finish. This is a demanding position to be in for any singer given the pressure to deliver in the live setting for modern performers, but every act at Gunnersbury Park on Saturday showed how serious they are about delivering, without taking themselves too seriously in the process. 

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Tom Jenkinson

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