Blossoms at Village Underground

Manchester five-piece Blossoms are currently touring their psychedelic pop around the UK, selling out venues along the way and tonight they have packed Shoreditch’s Village Underground to capacity. The exposed brick walls and tiny, pricey cans of craft beer tell the crowd they’re in London, but the music and mop-like haircuts are thoroughly northern.

A solid support slot is provided by fellow Manc band Cupids, who look like a scruffy alternative to McFly. After a small wait Blossoms come out on stage to Blu Cantrell’s Breathe – released before any of them could have left infant school – and this “urban” (cringe) pop track gives a sense of fun to their arrival: Liam Gallagher wouldn’t come out to this.

The crowd is rowdy and excited, the band arranged a coach-load of local fans to make the journey down the M6, and chants of “Manchester lalala” erupt from the centre-front throughout the night. The punchy opening bars of Cut Me and I’ll Bleed give way to cheerful waterfalls of guitar and a driving thump of bass and drum. Released in spring this year, it is familiar even to those relatively unversed in all things Blossoms, and half the room joins in with the “show me what you want” hook. The band keep the energy up as they storm on, bouncing through the pop riffs of current single Charlemagne along with a thoroughly warmed up and receptive crowd, who remain engaged as the band alter the tempo over the next few songs. The slower, more sultry pace of Smoke creates an atmosphere of lazy desire and feels like the most intimate song of the set. Blossoms’ influences are knit into their sound but it still feels fresh.

They treat the audience to a new song from their debut album that began recording just two weeks ago, checking if it’s okay to go acoustic for My Favourite Room, which is dedicated to “everyone who has been dumped recently”. This lull in energy is tempered as they launch into Blown Rose, currently inescapable across BBC Radio 6 Music, and a song that sticks out from background listening. After one last song the set is over, with the crowd set to board the tube humming bits of Blossoms’ set all the way home.

Cath Willcox
Photo: Phoebe Devereux

For further information about Blossoms and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Blown Rose here: