It was a home win for Stockport’s finest this weekend as Blossoms took to Edgeley Park and received a hero’s welcome.
The homecoming gig was a party from start to finish and there was a huge sense of pride that radiated from both the stage and the crowd at seeing a return to the band’s home turf.
“Good evening Stockport. We are Blossoms… from Stockport,” said frontman Tom Ogden as he first greeted the crowd in his familiar way. Only, this wasn’t business as usual.
The set ranged from new hits, like the just-released Your Girlfriend, to classic – and very well executed – covers, and it was dotted with anecdotes about the boys’ childhoods and teenage years in Stockport, hitting home how much playing here meant. They are, after all, named after nearby pub, The Blossoms, and road signs in the area are now emblazoned with ‘Home of Blossoms’ alongside the usual directions.
One moment shared by Ogden focused on telling the sold-out ground that 10 years ago to the month himself and drummer Joe Donovan attended their school prom here at Edgeley Park, in the building opposite the stage… complete with a stretch limo arrival.
The sound of Kanye West’s Black Skinhead signaled Blossoms onto the stage as they strutted into position in their brightly coloured suits before launching into opener At Most a Kiss.
It was pretty much non-stop from there. The crowd knew every word, the band were confident, and both matched each other’s energy and enjoyment as Blossoms made their way through hits from both their first and second albums.
The snippets of covers also fit perfectly into the set. The usual additions of Oasis’s Half the World Away and Babybird’s You’re Gorgeous to their own sing-along anthem My Favourite Room (a highlight in itself) made their appearances.
But it was the band’s cover of David Bowie’s Let’s Dance during the encore that really stood out. To do justice to such an iconic track is no mean feat, but it’s one that Blossoms took in their stride.
Highlights from their own back catalogue included the synth-drenched romance of Love Talk, Honey Sweet and There’s a Reason Why.
There was a real festival atmosphere to the whole day, made all the better by the glorious sunshine which provided the perfect backdrop to the sea of bucket-hatted fans bobbing along to the hits on their friends’ shoulders.
Closing track Charlemagne was pretty euphoric. Confetti streamers shot from the stage, reflecting the explosive lights that accompanied the song. In fact, the lights in their own right deserve a mention, too. Each song and even movement on stage was amplified and framed by excellent stadium-worthy lighting designs that definitely added to how sleek and put-together Blossoms looked as a unit.
Mention should also be made to the all-Northern line-up of support acts; Fuzzy Sun, The Blinders, Cabbage and The Coral.
All of the bands did a great job of warming up the crowd and delivering great sets. The Coral’s time on stage peaked with top tracks In the Morning and closing song Dreaming of You much to the joy of the fans who were then perfectly prepped for the appearance of Blossoms.
All in all it was a pretty special show and everyone in attendance felt like they were a part of something really meaningful.
Seeing Blossoms, a band so proud of where they are from, play their hometown in such a triumphant way was something that will no doubt stay with both the band and the crowd for a long time.
