Photo: Phoebe Fox
Extravagant lights and smoke machines are added extras now to Blossoms’ impressive back catalogue of bona fide pop pleasures as the alluring five-piece play to a packed out crowd at Camden’s Roundhouse – with support from fellow Stockport native Rory Wynne and the charismatically chaotic Cabbage.
Walking on stage to the sonic backdrop of Kanye West’s Black Skinhead, they burst into the enchanting ‘At Most A Kiss’ followed by the more frenzied ‘Texia’ which offers the first extended instrumental outro of the evening – a worthy extension of their now quintessential sound. ‘Blow’ showcases purring guitars and vocals alike as the line, “The cold road is all I know, the old road is where she blows,” is uttered and ‘Getaway’ entices the audience into a mass sing-a-long of the first verse, which is echoed back to the quintet who intensely study the crowd.
Setting aside his guitar wielding prowess for a short time, frontman Tom Ogden saunters back and forth around the stage for the pulsating, synth drenched ‘Across The Moor’ and ‘Fourteen’ in a commanding yet captivating fashion.
The second half of the show sees a special guest in the form of guitarist Josh Dewhurst’s father Robin, who joins Tom on stage for touching renditions of ‘Stormy’ and ‘My Favourite Room’. Topped off with snippets of The Beatles’ ‘Imagine’ and Oasis’ ‘Half The World Away’ their duet quickly becomes one of the pinnacles of the set.
Before leaving Camden with ‘Charlemagne’ Tom delights the crowd with another short anecdote. Introducing synthesizer organiser Myles Kellock, as each member is personally recognised throughout the evening, he informs the North London venue that Myles has a five year driving ban, “and he can’t even drive!” Not quite four years ago the band played a small pub down the road called The Monarch, so it seems fitting that Blossoms have taken on one of the most spherical venues in London now they’ve almost come full circle. Arguably garnering the most lively crowd reaction, their closing track tears through the Roundhouse as Ogden departs the stage with the final words, “See you at Brixton.”
