“It’s been long overdue”, that was Tom Ogden’s words, not mine, on Blossoms return to Belfast.
He was right though, as he recalled “It was before Covid”, which was indeed correct, early March 2020.
That should have been the first of two concerts in ten days for me. The situation escalated so quickly that the second of those concerts was postponed and didn’t take place until over eighteen months later.
Before Covid, they were regular visitors to Belfast, it was almost an annual event.
For me, this would be a fourth different venue seeing them.
The first time I saw them was in Waterfront Hall supporting Paul Weller in 2015.
I only knew of them then as the band who did that song (Charlemagne) that I loved.
Three months later, they were at Voodoo. As much as I loved Charlemagne, I didn’t know any other songs so I didn’t go.
Then came a near annual visit to what would become their spiritual home, in Belfast at least – The Limelight.
March 2017, November 2018 (I missed this as I was at a United match) and then March 2020.
A few months later, came a visit to Custom House Square where they were the support act for a Kasabian concert that never happened.
So this would be a new venue for Blossoms in Belfast, I was surprised by it when it was announced.
I had been to Telegraph Building before, but only once, in 2019 to see Two Door Cinema Club, so I knew what the venue was like.
Support came from a singer called Kynsy, who scored very high on the Toe Tap Chart.
I had made a mental note to buy one of her CDs on the way out but I had forgotten by the time the concert ended.
I’ll have to remedy that at some point soon.
In other new CD news, I got the new Bruce Springsteen album. It wasn’t until the morning of this when I went for a walk up Blackmountain so I listened to it on the drive there. My only CD Player is in the car.
If you care, I give it a thumbs up.
A new venue for Blossoms, surprisingly it wasn’t a sell out.
There was a lot of people in the room, but there was still some space on the floor. More room for dancing I suppose.
Dancing was what a lot of people were doing as Blossoms blasted through their hits, playing songs such as At Most A Kiss, Honey Sweet, Blown Rose, I Can’t Stand It, If You Think This Is Real Life and Your Girlfriend.
The band then left the stage, leaving Tom on his own to do an acoustic set, starting with my favourite room.
In my previous times seeing Blossoms, this had been the cue for Tom to appeal for someone in the crowd who has recently been dumped in order to dedicate the song to them.
Not this time, that was bypassed.
One tradition was upheld, that the song then merges into covers of You’re Georgeous by Babybird and Half The World Away by Oasis.
As it was December, there was an extra one added, with an acoustic version of Last Christmas by Wham!
I’ve checked the rules of Whamageddon and this is ok. Cover versions are allowed.
Unfortunately for me, I would have been already out if I was actively playing it, as Ikea were playing it at full blast at the entrance to their store on Saturday morning as I was walking in.
The rest of the band then reappeared, to perform There’s A Reason Why and Charlemagne.
Hopefully, their next visit to Belfast won’t be a near three year wait.
Analogue Boy In A Digital World 