Pics and Review by Amalia Gherman
Saturday 22nd June was a big day for indie fans across the country, Stockport’s own Blossoms would be returning home to play a sold out Edgeley Park. 15,000 people turned out to watch the band along with support acts Fuzzy Sun, The Blinders, Cabbage and indie veterans, The Coral.
Arriving at the train station, it was clear that a lot of time had been spent preparing for the show, crowds poured out from every platform following signs that had been placed around the station and out on the street stewards helped to direct the masses to the football ground where the gig would be held. After a short walk from the station down to Edgeley Park, I picked up my pass and walked through the barriers to get inside, surprisingly there was no long queues, the only small hold up was a bag check needed to ensure the safety of everyone in the stadium.
The show started a little earlier than originally stated which may have been an issue for anyone caught up in traffic, but nevertheless Fuzzy Sun kicked off their set with raw energy and excitement to the hundreds of people already inside. The five piece, also from Stockport, mix modern lyrical ideas with old school 80s pop sounds much like headliners Blossoms,who they could easily be mistaken for by an unsuspecting listener, yet they still manage to keep their own image and branding as a band. They owned the stage and felt as though they regularly played to crowds of thousands, despite this being one of, if not their biggest show to date.
Front man Kyle Ross was clearly enjoying his time on the stage, encouraging the crowd to dance with him as he showed off his best moves. With as much confidence and energy as this Fuzzy Sun are set for a bright musical career and will no doubt be a favourite for mainstream indie fans in the near future.
Next up after Fuzzy Sun it was the turn of politically-fuelled trio, The Blinders, to take to the stage and entertain the masses. The three piece based in Manchester (originally from Doncaster) are a personal favourite of mine and massively entertaining to watch. Heavy riffs and pounding drum beats paired with lyrics about the current state of world politics and pressing issues in the media, are perfectly matched with front man Thomas Haywood’s dramatic makeup and edgy stage presence. Bassist Charlie McGough and drummer Matty Neale pound through every song with drive and force, proving that music today can still be hard hitting and popular at the same time.
The crowd lapped up their performance, with Blinders’ fans jumping and singing along to their favourite songs, and others in the crowd new to the band also joining in.
The next two artists to grace the stage were Cabbage and The Coral. Both bands powered through their sets, entertaining the crowd and preparing them for Blossoms. The Coral’s smash hits ‘In The Morning’ and ‘Dreaming Of You’ had the crowd dancing and singing, everyone in the stadium was enjoying themselves and the highlight of the night had yet to come.
Once The Coral had finished their set, the stage crew worked quickly to prepare for Blossoms. After a few minutes, the plain black backdrop that had been on stage for the opening acts was removed, revealing two large frames of lighting, creating a very impressive backdrop. It was clear that a lot of time had been spent planning this show down to the last fine details, and we would not be disappointed with what was yet to come.
The atmosphere was electric as the crowd eagerly waited for the band to come on stage. A huge cheer erupted as, just after 9 o’clock, Stockport’s own Blossoms walked out to the 15,000 strong crowd.
The band played hit after hit, including their most recent track ‘Your Girlfriend’ which had only been released two days before the show, but seemingly everyone knew the words and were singing along, showing just how dedicated Blossoms’ fans are to the band.
The night flew by in a flash of bright lights and dancing, as smoke from colourful flares filled the air with the delightful electric pop music.
The night flew by in a flash of bright lights and dancing, as smoke from colourful flares filled the air with the delightful electric pop music.
As the show came to a close, the band debuted a cover one of the most iconic songs of the 80s: David Bowie’s ‘Let’s Dance’. The cover felt perfectly at home in their set, blending seamlessly with their own anthems.
The show was closed off with Blossoms’ most popular hit ‘Charlemagne’, known by any and all indie fans as a go to dance track, guaranteed to get anyone on their feet. A blinding sea of white streamers filled the air as the band neared the end of the track, with delighted cheers filling the air and many phones being pointed up towards the stage to immortalise the moment.
Blossoms are a force to be reckoned with in the British music industry, they never fail to impress long-time and new fans, and are constantly growing both with their sound, and generally as a band.
Stockport should be proud to claim Blossoms as their own, as they are no doubt the band of this generation and will go on to be remembered alongside indie greats such as The Stone Roses, The Smiths and many other bands born and bred in the North.
Edgeley will no doubt be one of the “I was there” moments for many Blossoms fans in the future, as the band propel themselves to new heights day after day.
