Blossoms and Kasabian for War Child at Shepherd’s Bush Empire

BRIT Awards week was once one of rock and roll excess that threw up tales like Bob Mortimer extracting Jarvis Cocker from police custody.

Things are a little more sedate and worthy in 2025, with concerts benefiting War Child, but in a double gig, Blossoms and Kasabian aimed to bring a little rock attitude to the Shepherd’s Bush Empire.

First came the Stockport psychedelia merchants, who are something of a band out of time.

In glam rock garb, frontman Tom Ogden looks like he’s stepped out of a 1970s episode of Top of the Pops, while their underlying sound is a modern, synth-infused, funked-up version of the melodic rock of that era.

Despite a devoted fanbase, Blossoms may be one of Britain’s more underrated acts. In another time when guys with guitars ruled pop, they’d be regular chart toppers.

The group have plenty of anthems – I Can’t Stand It,  Honey Sweet, There’s a Reason Why and Charlemagne all manage to be enchanting while encouraging you to chant along. As important when playing live they also have a sense of fun.

They treat the audience to a marching band-style version of their track Nightclub, and closing with Gary, a song about a giant fibreglass gorilla that went missing from a garden centre in Scotland.

After a brief interlude for the audience to refresh themselves and the stage to be reset, Kasabian emerge to belt out ravey new track Call. Quickly though, it’s on to the classics and Club Foot, one of the standouts on their hugely successful self-titled 2004 debut.

When they first shot to fame, fronted by the since-dropped Tom Meighan, Kasabian were something of a mixed-bag live but matured with their music to the extent that by 2009 they could wow a Pyramid Stage crowd at Glastonbury.

Now led by their creative fulcrum, lead guitarist, and now vocalist Serge Pizzorno they are seasoned rock veterans. There’s nothing surprising – other than an appearance by Mighty Boosh and Bake Off star Noel Fielding – but plenty of hits to get an already enthusiastic crowd going, like Shoot the Runner, You’re in Love with a Psycho, Empire, Reason Is Treason and LSF.

The night ends on a high with their encore’s closer, Fire, the raucous thumper that was their biggest hit at their 2009 peak.

It may be unusual to see two bands play what are effectively two headline slots in such a small venue, but both complement each other well, with Blossoms providing a delicate starter to Kasabian’s meaty main course.

In fact – whisper it quietly – the crowd at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire may have had more fun than those attending Saturday’s big BRITs bash will.

Mark Worgan
Photos: Aaron Parsons Photography

For further information and future events visit Kasabian’s website here and Blossoms’s website here.

Watch the video for the single Charlemagne here: