BLOSSOMS + RED RUM CLUB – BRIGHTON DOME 5.11.24
We were back again at the beautiful Brighton Dome. It is impossible to get poor sound in the main auditorium since the refurbishment. However, cranking it up a little too loud in a venue that doesn’t need the sound levels blasted is possible. Some sound engineers and bands just can’t resist it. Several tracks on the night exceeded recommended levels prompting the need for sound protection.
Blossoms are an indie rock band from Stockport, they formed in 2013. Showing early promise, the band were on the BBC’s Sound Of New Music list for 2016, finishing in fourth place. Their eponymous debut album was one of the twelve LP’s nominated for the Mercury Music Prize in 2017. They were nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the Brit Awards that same year. At one point, you couldn’t escape from the track ‘Charlemagne’, which gained avid radio play just about everywhere you went.
The following decade saw the band tour with the Stone Roses in 2016, enjoy three No.1 albums in the UK album charts, and, in 2021, perform covers of songs by The Smiths with Rick Ashley, with whom they also played at Glastonbury 2023.
Returning with their fifth studio album ‘Gary’ this year, the band are nearing the end of the UK and Ireland tour to promote the album. The album takes its name from the 8-foot fibreglass gorilla stolen from a Lanarkshire Garden Centre in early 2023 and still to be found. As of writing, while similar examples by the same manufacturer have been located and mistaken for Gary, only the real Gary’s rear has been located; his frontage is still at large.
The night was the band’s tenth consecutive return to the Brighton Dome. After a decade of playing the venue, the band knows exactly how to make the most of the space.
During the changeover between bands, the black-out curtain backdrop behind the support was lifted to cheers from the audience to reveal the Blossoms stage set-up. Three levels of risers covered in cloth had the keyboards and drums at the highest point, with everything else set up around them. At the centre front, a reel-to-reel player gave the set the hint of a retro feel. The whole of the stage was quickly enveloped in smoke and tinged violet by the stage lighting. This was the first hint that the set we would see would be a little unique.
Before the band took the stage, the music started blasting out, synced with bright white flashing lights on either side of the stage. Starting slow, the beat gained pace and additional layers, building the crowd’s anticipation. When the band took the stage, they did so to almost deafening cheers. The lights lifted to reveal lead Tom Ogden standing front and centre on two low-level additional riser blocks in front of the mic. He was already wearing what appeared to be platforms, the extra height made him an imposing presence.
Blossoms started an epic nineteen-track set with ‘Your Girlfriend’. Upbeat and relatively mellow, not to mention incredibly catchy, it’s the perfect height of summer track, even if it is discussing infatuation with a friend’s girlfriend. The band were largely static apart from Ogden, who moved around the stage with his characteristic lithe androgyny, slick dance moves and strides. The audience sang along word perfectly throughout without prompting. This would happen with nearly every track played, even the new ones from ‘Gary’. The band wouldn’t be sticking to the new album, though, as they delivered highlights from their discography.
Although the audience delivered thunderous applause, the band moved straight into the next song. The staging was revealed to be draped in a ’70s yellow/orange fabric, as seen on the ‘Gary’ album cover. Adding to the retro aesthetic, Ogden mirroring was decked out in a salmon pink suit with flared trousers and a delightfully foppish black shirt. ‘I Can’t Stand It’ returns to the band’s earlier back catalogue from 2018. The track’s opening saw Dewhurst and Kellock join Ogden on his centre-stage podium briefly before separating.
Delving back to their debut album ‘Get Away’ returned to 2016. Kellock took up guitar along with Dewhurst and Ogden this time. Having moved backwards, the set jumped forward again to 2020 and ‘Oh No (I Think I’m In Love)’. Thoroughly getting into his stride, Ogden removed his jacket with a flourish. He encouraged the audience to sing along to this one, which they did with little encouragement. Towards the end of the track, he yelled “STOP! “which the rest of the band duly did, holding frozen poses on the spot as the audience cheered, only moving again with the strum of the next note. Again, they segued straight into the next track, giving no time to pause.
‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry’ is from the new album, which, like the set, delivers a deft light retro feel to the band’s usual indie rock. It’s catchy and has a disco feel to it, probably due to Charlie Salt’s bass lines. During this track, Ogden led Salt and Dewhurst in a trio in an effortlessly coordinated strut from stage left to right and back.
Ogden finally took a break from the incredibly tight and flawlessly choreographed performance. “How are we feeling this evening, Brighton?”. The audience, who were well and duly warmed up and singing along, cheered enthusiastically in the affirmative. The brief interaction completed, the band played ‘Perfect Me’, the second set from the new album. At the intro, Ogden started the reel-to-reel playing what sounded like a slightly slowed version of the intro from The Who’s ‘Baba O’Riley’.
Everyone in the venue was up and dancing, even those in the side stalls. For ‘The Keeper,’ Ogden urged the audience to raise their hands in the air and then proceeded to lead in every instrument verbally, one by one. For the first verse and chorus, Ogden allowed the audience to do all the heavy lifting without even asking. Towards the outro, the track has the feel of Primal Scream. The next song, ‘If You Think This Is Real Life’, from 2020, has a very chart-friendly hook in the repetition of the title.
Ogden’s physicality, style and stagecraft come together with his vocals to make him a compelling performer and frontman, but it’s as a collective that the band shines. They’re a flawless live proposition. The musicians move separately and together like a choreographed dance troop. They are also multi-instrumentalists, frequently swapping or dueting on various instruments, though primarily this focuses on the drums and the keyboards. ‘Nightclub’ sees the set at its halfway point. Ogden told the audience, “We’ve been coming to Brighton for ten years now; can you believe that?!” It was Ogden that placed the neon nightclub sign as he talked. The band collectively moved to the front of the stage with an instrument either in their hands or strapped to them. They played their instruments and sang while dancing as if they were in a nightclub. The track finished with a single play of the snare drum drummer on the front podium.
The set’s second half started with a few catchy and enjoyable songs. Before, Ogden told the audience, “I need you to scream, but not yet… SCREAM BRIGHTON!”, and they did as the opening intro of ‘Honey Sweet’ played. During an instrumental part of the song, Ogden drew screams from the audience as he leapt towards the drums and hip-swayed with his back to the audience.
Before the next song, Ogden regaled the audience with tales of their day in Brighton: “I’ve a confession. We went to the pier today, and my calves are killing me because we’re on the dance mat.” Anyone who has been on Brighton pier can tell you the Karaoke dance mat is a killer. He stopped briefly to tell the audience the tale behind the next track, which was about the experience of seeing someone he thought might be famous. Ogden launched into the first track from the new album, ‘Big Star’.
A standout song from the new album followed, ‘I Like Your Look’, written by CMAT, has the feel of a track by the Scissor Sisters and can only have been inspired by Ogden’s attire. The final song before the encore from their breakout 2016 album, ‘At Most A Kiss,’ could have been the last track of the night. It built to a frenzied crescendo towards the outro, leaving the audience on a high.
The encore revealed the band’s touring replica of Gary the Gorilla, which was smaller than the original, to ensure they could get him into most venues. Unsurprisingly, his appearance was amusingly timed to coincide with blue and white flashing lights and sirens, and the band was playing his namesake track.
An acoustic version of ‘My Favourite Room’ garnered an impromptu guest vocal from an audience member. ‘There’s A Reason (I Never Returned Your Calls)’, like many tracks before, received a word-perfect rendition from the audience. Ogden addressed the audience one more time: “Let’s have a round of applause for Red Rum Club, our support tonight! We have room for one more song tonight, Brighton. Come on! You never let us down, Brighton!”
The final song was the once ubiquitous ‘Charlemagne’. The band took their leave after thoroughly entertaining the audience.
Blossoms:
Tom Ogden – lead vocals + guitar
Charlie Salt – bass guitar + backing vocals
Josh Dewhurst – lead guitar, percussion
Joe Donovan – drums
Myles Kellock – keyboards + synthesizer + backing vocals
Un-Named Female – backing vocals + keyboards + guitar + percussion
Blossoms setlist:
‘Your Girlfriend’ (from 2020 ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ album)
‘I Can’t Stand It’ (from 2018 ‘Cool Like You’ album)
‘Getaway’ (from 2016 ‘Blossoms’ album)
‘Oh No (I Think I’m In Love)’ (from 2020 ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ album)
‘What Can I Say After I’m Sorry?’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘Perfect Me’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘The Keeper’ (from 2020 ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ album)
‘If You Think This Is Real Life’ (from 2020 ‘Foolish Loving Spaces’ album)
‘Nightclub’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘Mothers’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘Care For’ (from 2022 ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’ album)
‘Honey Sweet’ (from 2016 ‘Blossoms’ album)
‘Big Star’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘I Like Your Look’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘At Most A Kiss’ (from 2016 ‘Blossoms’ album)
(encore)
‘Gary’ (from 2024 ‘Gary’ album)
‘My Favourtie Room’ (from 2016 ‘Blossoms’ album)
‘There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls)’ (from 2018 ‘Cool Like You’ album)
‘Charlemagne’ (from 2016 ‘Blossoms’ album)
The Red Rum Club has been steadily building their following since their formation in 2016. Having seen them perform earlier in the year at Portsmouth’s in the open air, we were intrigued to see how they would approach playing in a venue. The band uses horns and mariachi-style instrumentalisation to add a kick to its music, which gives it a fresh take when they play live.
The band came onto a sparse stage set, just a black-out curtain for a backdrop and enough room for the band and their instruments in a straight line. Greeted by jubilant applause from the crowd, the band enjoyed a packed auditorium, a rare occasion for any support band. Utilising the high of the audience and buoyant atmosphere, the band wasted no time, steaming straight into their first song, ‘Vibrate’. There is something instantly familiar about this track, even to those unfamiliar with the band. The band’s lead vocalist, Fran Doran, has charisma in spades and can win over any audience. For this song, his vocals were softer and more measured, and the chorus’s hook delivered a familiar tale of an apology for a missed call.
‘Black Cat’ is one of the best songs of the set. After the soft start, in the mould of a ’90s crooner’s number, the brass blast set the tone for the rest of the band’s set. It was an explosive anthem – what the band does best. Horns blasting, the entire band was engaged, delivering their trademark horns and mariachi tinge blended with Doran’s vocal.
Dovetailing this was the summer feel-good track ‘Afternoon’ dripping with summer sun, the ideal travelling track for a singalong in the car en route to the beach. Continuing the feel-good theme, they segued into ‘Eleanor’, another upbeat summer anthem underscored by non-vocables with an almost Hawaiian feel. The high-speed upbeat ‘Kids Addicted’ ended the back-to-back summer anthems. By now, Red Rum Club’s set had ensured that all the bars had emptied to fill the stalls to what looked like capacity, with the audience clapping enthusiastically without any prompting from the band.
Doran took the opportunity to point out that this was a remarkably upbeat audience for a Tuesday. Mirroring the audience’s enthusiasm, the band then went into ‘Angeline’, which has a pure mariachi intro, a fast-paced drum line, and a furiously infectious chorus. At this point, Doran thanked the audience for coming down early. The majority might have been there to see the headlining act, but they had been more than willing to be swept along by the vigorous, high-energy performance. Even if unfamiliar, Doran urged the audience to sing along to the next song. ‘Vanilla’, like all the band’s songs, was catchy, but the track’s simplicity got everyone singing along as asked. It utilises repetition and musical pauses coupled with Doran’s finger clicking to entice.
The final track of the whirlwind set was, ‘Would You Rather Be Lonely’. This time, the band’s use of the familiar Non-vocable “Hoo Ha” is best remembered from the song ‘Kung Foo Fighting’ in the intro and at additional points is the hook. More of a catch-all crowd-pleaser, it echoed many similar sing-a-longs the audience might have been familiar with. The set they delivered was the perfect taster to the band and their back catalogue offering tracks spanning all the currently available studio albums. Ending on a high, the band enjoyed playing, giving their all from start to finish. They gracefully exited, aware that the next act was the main draw.
Red Rum Club:
Fran Doran – vocals
Tom Williams – guitar + backing vocals
Michael McDermott – guitar + backing vocals
Simon Hepworth – bass
Joe “the Blow” Corby – trumpet
Neil Lawson – drums
Red Rum Club setlist:
‘Vibrate’ (from 2021 ‘How To Steal The World’ album)
‘Black Cat’ (from 2024 ‘Western Approaches’ album)
‘Afternoon’ (from 2024 ‘Western Approaches’ album)
‘Eleanor’ (from 2020 ‘The Hollow Of Humdrum’ album)
‘Kid’s Addicted’ (from 2020 ‘The Hollow Of Humdrum’ album)
‘Angeline’ (from 2018 ‘Matador’ album)
‘Vanilla’ (from 2022 ‘Vanilla’ single)
‘Would You Rather Be Lonely?’ (from 2018 ‘Matador’ album)
