Blossoms – Live Review – Scarborough Open Air Theatre
As a fan of Blossoms since their self-titled debut album in 2016, I had eagerly awaited the chance to catch them live. So, when they rolled into Scarborough Open Air Theatre, I was buzzing to experience their signature blend of synth-rock and indie vibes up close.
We arrived just as the support act, Inhaler, took the stage. With a casual “Alright?” to the crowd, they proceeded to raise the non-existent roof with their opening song ‘Dublin in Ecstasy.’ I hadn’t listened to them before this concert but they gained a new fan with their catchy hooks, punchy riffs and great stage presence.
“Slick, all-black outfits”
With the crowd warmed up, the stage was transformed, draped in gold velvet to match the artwork of Blossoms’ latest album. The band appeared in slick, all-black outfits – frontman Tom Ogden donning a sensational flared suit. From the moment he stepped on stage, Ogden’s charisma was magnetic – cool and effortless, yet fully engaging.
Opening with ‘Your Girlfriend,’ followed by ‘I Can’t Stand It’ and ‘Getaway,’ they wasted no time in ramping up the energy. Even those with seated tickets were up on their feet dancing.
What struck me as especially refreshing was the diverse crowd. Families with young kids proudly rocked their Blossoms merch, while older fans were also there in full force – proof that their music has a timeless appeal.
Lead singer Tom Ogden aptly dedicated their performance of ‘Mothers’ – a song about the lifelong friendship between his and drummer Joe Donovan’s mothers – to all the mums and best-friends in the crowd.
“Now we’re cooking.”
By the time they hit ‘Honey Sweet’ (a personal favourite of mine), Ogden humbly declared, “Now we’re cooking.” Considering the atmosphere had been electric since the very first song, it felt like a modest understatement.
From there, the band segued into ‘Nightclub,’ with a playful touch – blasting a voicemail from Scarborough’s Chaplin’s Bar over the speakers, a nice touch for the Scarborough locals.
‘At Most A Kiss’ proved to be one of the show’s most powerful moments. The extended intro built anticipation, and when the first chord dropped, the crowd erupted, bouncing and chanting along. A nod to Oasis drew the song to a close with the chorus of ‘Hello.’ By now the sun had set so the lighting was even more dramatic too.
“A delicate, intimate moment”
With the crowd chanting for more, the band returned to the stage for their four-song encore, with Ogden asking the crowd “Got a few more tunes in ya?”
They kicked things off with a beautiful acoustic rendition of ‘My Favourite Room,’ which had the entire crowd swaying, their phone torches lighting up the night. It was a delicate, intimate moment in the midst of an otherwise high-energy set.
As has become tradition when performing this song live, Tom then sang the lyrics “because you’re gorgeous, I’d do anything for you” from Babybird’s 1996 classic and ‘Half the World Away’, another nod to their Oasis influences – both of which had the crowd chanting along and in the palm of his hands.
Picking up the tempo again, they performed ‘There’s a Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)’ which saw the crowd taking over vocal duties, and ‘Charlemagne’, which put Blossoms on the map back in 2016 and remains their most successful song.
“Inflatable monkey was crowd-surfing”
The night ended with an 8-foot fibreglass gorilla on stage. Not words I ever thought I’d be writing, but since Gary the Gorilla’s disappearance from a Lanarkshire Garden Centre in early 2023 inspired Tom Ogden to write a hit song about it… here we are!
Fans had been chanting for ‘Gary!’ all night, some even wearing gorilla masks, and at one point, an inflatable monkey was crowd-surfing near the front.
When Gary finally made his debut on stage, it felt like the band had brought an extra member along for the ride. Each band member got their moment in the spotlight, building up to the final song of the night: ‘Gary.’ The crowd sang along in unison, turning the entire venue into one giant chorus.
What really stood out about this gig was how Blossoms managed to strike the perfect balance between their early hits and their more recent material. They took us on a journey through their discography, seamlessly transitioning from the catchy anthems of their 2016 debut to the more refined sounds of their latest work, showing just how much they’ve grown as a band over the years.
I knew they would be great live, but they completely surpassed my expectations. Three days later, we’re still reminiscing about our favourite moments, and I can confidently say: this was a night to remember.
