Tales of Stockport, Scaffolding and Spag Bol.
Blossoms:
Tales of Stockport, Scaffolding and Spag Bol. of Stockport, Scaffolding and Spag Bol.
Blossoms have certainly had a full on few years. Since releasing there self titled debut in 2016 it seems the band have been non stop either touring the world or in there second home Parr Street Studios, creating new music with long time friend of the band and The Coral lead singer James Skelly.
In those 6 years the band have gone from strength to strength. Releasing three albums. There self titled debut in 2016, the follow up Cool Like You in 2018, Foolish Loving Spaces in 2020 and most recently Ribbon Around the Bomb in 2022
Adapting and producing new sounds throughout this journey.
Where to start. The beginning seems like the best place. Blossoms are Tom Ogden, Charlie Salt, Joe Donnovan, Joshua Dewhurst and Myles Kellock. The band formed in Stockport in 2013 and took there name from The Blossoms pub within the town. Stockport isn’t just where the band are from, it’s an extension of the band. I’ve never known another band as passionate about where they are from. Every gig Tom introduces the band as ‘Blossoms from Stockport!
The band released EP’s before in 2015 hitting there big break, a 2 minute 47 second jangly piece of indie pop. ‘Charlemagne.’ This gave the band their first big break on radio and they didn’t look back since. An album was soon to follow. By this point though the band were a well oiled machine due to so many live performances and many many hours of rehearsing in Charlie’s grandad scaffolding yard (as featured on the cover of their debut album). August the 5th 2016 Blossoms self titled debut is released it goes straight into the charts at number one. Infectious hooks, and sing along choruses make thousands including me fall in love with the band and cause great ticket sales. Including a sell out academy tour in the spring of 2017. My first time seeing the band.
2017 also saw Blossoms meet some of there heroes including Noel Gallagher at the We are Manchester, benefit gig. Which in turn led to a support slot on his European tour in 2018 which allowed the band to road test new material before the release of their second album. Cool Like You. This saw the band move away from there guitar beginnings a little bit and embrace a very 80s synth pop sound. Every song on there second album could be a single, they are anthemic sing along pop tunes. Once again Blossoms took these songs out on the road and around the world. The universal nature of these songs mean that they can relate to a 18 year old in Santiago or Seattle just as well as they can to a 18 year old in Stockport.
The stages got bigger for Blossoms and the stage rankings on festivals got higher. And where some bands would fear this Blossoms embraced it. They aren’t scared of wanting to be the biggest band in the world. What do you do next. You’ve played around the world, played the pyramid stage at Glastonbury, played in America. Well you come home.
22nd of June 2019. Edgeley Park. Stockport.
An all star Northern Line up led by Blossoms, play to 15,000 people. Including me and two of my mates. Who just so happen to be from Stockport. They ended the Cool Like You era with a massive party in there back garden. Complete with singing, dancing, a lot of beer. Amstel if I’m not mistaken, and the lighting of flares. They truly made there hometown that night, it was more than just a gig. It was a gathering of a town who often live in the shadow of a big city. But all eyes were on Stockport that night.
That night also saw Blossoms look to the future. They played Your Girlfriend the first single from there third album Foolish Loving Spaces. Different again from there previous two efforts. It saw Blossoms look to the 80s again but away from the synth pop sound and more into the U2 and Talking Heads sound. We would have to wait until January 2020 to hear the full album but the singles The Keeper, complete with the gospel sound and If You Think this is Real Life anthemic quality coming in late 2019 and early 2020. This album moved Blossoms into a new era. The songs developed into more in depth pieces of music embracing new instruments and including more musicians. Unlike some other bands Blossoms have never been afraid to adapt and embrace new ideas and Foolish Loving Spaces is a perfect example of the band stretching there legs and showing us fans what they really can do.
No longer were they an indie band from the north they were and still are a force to be reckoned with. Tom a an unbelievable song writer. Who can write a variety of songs, in a variety of different ways. As a five piece Blossoms are a tight knit close band who all musically bounce of each other.
Due to circumstances Blossoms were unable to finish this tour for Foolish Loving Spaces.
After a delay, the band managed to take ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ on tour and even played their biggest show to date. A sold out night at Manchester Arena. A gig I was at. Blossoms had become more than just an indie band. Seeing them on this tour, I saw them transcend into something more. Each member of the band had grown into their role. Tom had embraced Jarvis Cocker, and Morrissey and had really become a front man. Charlie kept things moving with brilliant grooves, Josh was and has become an even better guitar player. Myles synth parts have become cornerstones of Blossoms sound and he has come to embrace this, taking centre stage more and more. Joe is one of the best drummers in the U.K. right now as well. Each member of the band works to form the well oiled unit that is Blossoms.
This year saw the band release their 4th studio album ‘Ribbon Around the Bomb’ and it saw them changed and develop their sound again. Acoustic guitars, strings, and much more candid songwriting. Blossoms have grown up. The album is very introspective, songs like ‘Visions’ are autobiographical and Tom lays out his thoughts and feelings. We see a vulnerable and reflective side to the band that we’ve never seen before. It shows a band that have matured but haven’t lost sight of what makes them brilliant!
As well as being amazing musicians. They all seem like lovely guys. The type of lads you could go for a pint with. I mean they do host a podcast from a pub. All of them seem like genuine friends. Which is not always the case in some bands. You only have to check there social media and you can tell how happy and proud they are to have gotten this far. But they aren’t finished yet.
Long may they can continue. Making music and telling us where to get the best spag Bol!