Blossoms, Manchester Apollo. 8th December 2022

The Apollo is packed full of kids not old enough to be around when half the indie bangers on the warm up tape blast out. To anyone suggesting that live music is in trouble, fear not, the kids are up for it. So are Blossoms, and particularly Tom whose all silk shirts and hip thrusts. This is a band that’ve grown into true entertainers. There’s plenty of shtick, the full band freeze during ‘Oh No (I Think I’m in Love) would have The Hives raising an eyebrow, but the crowd love it. The phones are out on mass, it’s bonkers. People taking selfies, FaceTiming with friends sat looking puzzled on their sofas at home. They are adoring though, singing their hearts out on ‘The Keeper’. It’s impossible not to love a gig like this and get swept up in the moment. Ode to NYC is the first of the newer songs from Ribbon Around the Bomb. I love this album and the new stuff sounds ace. They roll straight into ‘The Sulking Poet’, with songs extended and bleeding together. They’ve always been tight, but they’re fucking proper impressive tonight. No longer indie upstarts, Blossom’s turned pro a while ago, but make no mistake, they’re now a massive band. They and the tunes are solid. Arena solid. This is the first of four sold out nights here, surely the bigger venues are just around the corner. Tom works the stage front for ‘I Can’t Stand It’ to ear piercing screams. Before the anthem banger of ‘If You Think This is Real Life’ tears through the room. I tell you it’s a bouncy bugger with that cowbell! ‘Care For’ is a bit too disco schmaltz for me and it’s like being  in the middle of a hen do, but they know how to work the crowd, particularly Tom, who beckons to the piano “Slide it Miles”. It’s a sea of phones for ‘Your Girlfriend’ and Tom is nearly downed out, before things calm down for a new one that sounds decent with a big grand walloping backbeat. The stage then clears, leaving Tom and an acoustic for ‘The Writer’. It’s a lovely song and a lovely moment. As if to test the arena credentials. The camera lights are requested for ‘My Favourite Room’ and the masses happily oblige, girls up on boyfriends shoulders to get some extra height. I could do without the covers singalong, but this has become a staple of a Blossoms gig. They return for the encore with ‘Theres a Reason Why’, the synth stomper raising the roof, but then follow with another synth number in the guise of The Human League’s ‘Don’t You Want Me’. It’s good, but I’d rather hear another Blossoms song. Speaking of synth bangers, next is a cover of don’t you want me. It’s good, but I’d rather s other blossoms track. ‘Charlemagne’ of course closes and it’s pretty majestic. Even if it’s not my favourite, it clearly has the masses hearts and maybe that sums Blossoms up, they’re crowd pleasers. They want us to enjoy ourselves and boy do we!