Blossoms - Great Hall - 26/11/2022

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Despite the torrential downpour outside and the disappointing week for Wales at the World Cup, Blossoms reminded those who attended their gig at the Student Union that you can still have a blast with live music. 

I’m no stranger to Blossoms, having already seen them numerous times at Reading Festival and in my home city Bristol, but this gig was something beyond what I had already seen of the band. I was saying to my friend afterwards how it was more like a performance or an event rather than a gig, with a great support act from Brooke Combe beforehand, followed by a great selection of tracks from the likes of Oasis and Neil Diamond to really get the crowd in the mood.

The atmosphere was electric and when the band walked on the stage, opening with one of their signature tunes ‘At Most A Kiss’, the room was bouncing. The band were unbelievably tight, and lead singer, come guitarist, come pianist, come harmonica(ist!) Tom Ogden roamed the stage like he owned it. 

Some songs would lead blissfully into the next without mention from Ogden, reinforcing their tightness and capabilities as a band. A special mention to the three additions to the original 5 of the band, who really boosted the live sound created on the evening, making it sound just as if it was pre-recorded.

Ogden also gave some interesting insights at times as to how some of the tracks were written and the backstory to them, my favourite in particular being ‘Ode to NYC’, which he revealed was originally written for a Netflix show, only to be pushed aside once the band recorded it. Unlucky Netflix! This was also where Ogden showed off his musical prowess playing guitar, as well as singing, and then a beautiful harmonica solo to finish the song. 

Charlie Salt on bass and backing vocals, Myles Kellock on keys, Josh Dewhurst on lead guitar, and Joe Donovan on drums all put on a show as well, interacting with Ogden as he led from the front. 

If you’ve heard or indeed listen to Blossoms, you’ll be aware that their music is usually quite fast and energetic, as was evident on the night with songs like ‘I Can’t Stand It’, ‘Your Girlfriend’, and ‘How Long Will This Last?’. However, the 8-piece became a solo for one song, where Ogden slowed it down with his acoustic and piano, playing first album track ‘My Favourite Room’ which was a spectacle in its own right.

They finished the show big with arguably their most popular song and another old classic ‘Charlemagne’, which was the perfect way to close the show, with people on other’s shoulders and the room bouncing once more. 

I have to admit, I’ve seen some good gigs, including the ones I’ve seen from Blossoms in the past, but none compete with this one. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it! You won’t regret it. 

Henry Birt- The Crown, Bristol- 4th March 2022- Gig Review from a Performer Perspective

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This review is an interesting one to write about given the fact that I was a member of the band on stage. I’ve known Henry since I was 5 years old, we’ve grown up together, performed multiple times together throughout secondary school in previous bands, and I had the honour of sharing the stage with him under his own name in our hometown again. 

There were 5 of us in the band; Henry Birt on vocals and rhythm guitar (having also written all of the songs), Billy Price on lead guitar, Addison Gordon-Evans on Bass, Harrison Pugh on drums, and me on keys. All of us brought a unique talent to the band, and it made for great sounding music. 

The venue of The Crown was great and different to anything I had performed in before. It was small, dimly lit and would make you feel as if you were in some sort of a shelter underneath the pub. The acoustics were great though with the curved ceiling, and after the soundcheck we were all itching to get on stage and perform. Despite the excitement there were also nerves, or at least on my behalf, perhaps because it was the first time I had performed for roughly 4 years or so.

When the cavern started to fill up of familiar and unfamiliar faces, the reality started to kick in and our hard rehearsals for the last couple of months was about to come down to a half an hour performance. 

When we were on stage, the dimly lit cavern seemed to be dim no more, with the bright lights shining in our faces and almost blocking the view of the audience to help settle the nerves! 

4 of the 5 songs were unreleased but all original material produced from Henry, and each one carried itself in different ways. ‘You’ll Show Me The Rest’ was a great opener- a catchy guitar and bass heavy song with some cool riffs from Addison in particular and is fast to get the audience moving straight away. 

‘Leave Here in the Morning’ is similar in terms of pace, and it is my personal favourite with a strong string synth throughout the song. Billy’s solo was also electric, as he presented his own slick skills to everyone there. 

‘Open My Eyes’ slowed down the set in a great way, and really showcased Henry’s incredible vocal ability, with the chorus stretching his range high and low, encapsulating the crowd. 

‘Hymns of Peace and Love’ is another slow and relaxing tune, that also sounded the best it had done over the couple of months of practice, giving off vibes similar to that of The Verve.

The big finish was Henry’s newly released single ‘Rainbows I Could Not See’ and was again the perfect song to end on, with its high energy and allowing all of us to showcase our talents. Harrison plays left handed with a right handed set up, allowing for some really unique fills to be heard in he live performance that isn’t heard on the recorded single. Some of the crowd even knew the words as all of us heard them singing their hearts out along with Henry.

Overall though it was an amazing night that many of the fans enjoyed thoroughly with their kind comments afterwards. The two other bands were great as well, Sub Cultures and Rosellas, so definitely give them a listen on Spotify if you get the chance. It gave Henry a great start to his solo career too, but also allowed us all to form an amazing chemistry that we will hopefully share again on stage in the near future. 

Socials: @Henrybirt, henrybirt.com, Henry Birt

Review Sam Haskins

Photography subject to copyright from Thomas Pitt Photography

Skinny Lister- The Globe, 13/11/2021

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Little did I know about Skinny lister before encountering them at The Globe Cardiff, but the unexpected nights and unheard-of bands are always the best, and this was no exception.

Organised chaos is the best way of describing their performance. From the get-go the crowd were indulged in the music and matched the energy of the Lister members, who really showed their passion for their unique style of music.

Doing some research beforehand told me that their identity is heavily influenced by folk music, shown by their arguably unique use of accordions and the huge double bass. The sound created by the modern-day guitars, bass, and drums against these perhaps outdated and fewer mainstream instruments was something special, and it made for a great live experience.

All 6 band members were excellent, but Maxwell Thomas was a standout performer, not only because of his energy and enthusiasm that got the crowd going, but also because of his ability to mix up his chosen instrument; the accordion, the piano, and the banjo being the three he used on the night.

The vocals were mainly passed between Daniel Hepinstall and Lorna Thomas who both have really strong voices that complement each other well when they sang together. All members did have a microphone though, and they harmonised well throughout the set.

They featured a large number of new tracks from their latest album release “A Matter of Life & Love”, the name of the album also being one of their songs which was a more indie-pop hit, with a catchy off-beat guitar riff and upbeat drums reminding you of summer days.

“Bonny Away” was a nice mellow track that allowed the crowd to take a short break from headbanging and gave the longer serving fans a recall to one of their first released songs.

It was also nice to see the support band (The Longest Johns) join them on stage for a few songs including “Damn the Amsterdam”, Listers most streamed of their newest album, demonstrating their roots in the folk genre.

As I said before, I wouldn’t usually choose to go and watch bands of this particular genre, but Skinny Lister’s gig really opened my eyes and proved that anyone can enjoy any kind of music, no matter your taste.

Review Sam Haskins

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DMAs Review- Cardiff University Student Union, 6th November 2021

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Managing to escape Covid secure Australia, the 3-man band led by Tommy O’Dell, with the addition of 3 other live band members, really put on a spectacle at the Cardiff University Student Union.

I was familiar with a few of their songs prior to going to the gig, admittedly mainly due to their appearance on one of the FIFA games but I can now say I will keep track of their new releases and consider myself a new fan. 

I was captivated from start to finish as were the other couple of thousand participants in the venue, and didn’t want to miss a single song, word, or chord. The crowd on multiple occasions, led the vocals of tracks whilst O’Dell stood back and admired the experience of performing live again. 

For me, their standout songs were their most streamed hit ‘Silver’ which caused an oddly pleasant, restricted view due to the number of fans on shoulders singing their hearts out, an extended version of ‘Play It Out’ with some awesome drum fills not heard in the recorded version, and ‘Appointment’ which showcased the bands’ vast musical ability by slowing it down too.

The venue was perfect and ensured that even if you were to be standing near the back your view and experience of the music wouldn’t be hindered, and the band themselves set up nicely on the wide stage, with cool light poles behind them which they regularly lit up red for Wales, a nice touch to show their connection to the audience.

So overall, if you ever get the chance to see them on tour or at any festivals they play at, I highly recommend attending. Their energy on stage is matched by their musical talent that will get you moving in a good two step, but also a few mosh pits if you’re in the thick of it! 

Review Sam Haskins

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