In news that seems to have rocked social media and got everyone on the Manchester music scene talking, Blossoms and Rick Astley announced this week that they’re teaming up for two special gigs next month.
And if that collaboration wasn’t odd enough as it is, they’re only going to be performing songs by The Smiths.
Performing at Manchester’s iconic Albert Hall on Friday 8 October, before a second show at London’s 02 Forum in Kentish Town the following day, the popular Stockport indie band will become Astley’s backing band for a full set of The Smiths songs during the two intimate shows.
The announcement of the two gigs comes after Astley joined Blossoms on stage during the first of their three nights at London’s Kentish Town Forum earlier this week.
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos of the performances have been racking up millions of views on Twitter.
“We’re going to do some songs by one of our favourite bands with a friend of ours from the North West, welcome our friend Rick Astley,” Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden said before they tore into The Smiths’ classics Panic and This Charming Man with Astley on vocals.
Later Tom also played an acoustic segment of Astley’s classic Never Gonna Give You Up.
Despite it seemingly being pretty hard for people to wrap their heads around the collaboration, with Blossoms themselves even admitting “we’ve had wilder dreams, but not many”, it makes a little more sense when you realise that Astley – who shot to fame in the 80s, but has also enjoyed recent success with his 2016 album going to number one – is a self-confessed The Smiths superfan.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine in 2016, Astley promised to one day perform a set of just The Smiths songs in Manchester because he “absolutely loved them”.
However, he predicted that he would “probably get lynched for it”.
ADVERTISEMENT
Speaking on the announcement of the unlikely collaboration, Blossoms’ frontman Tom Ogden said: “The Smiths have always meant so much to Blossoms, with even their rainiest songs complete with wry humour and soul-reaching musicianship and melody.
“Their poppier moments are pure, joyful, danceable poetry.
“Imagine backing Rick Astley to play the songs of The Smiths?
“We’ve had wilder dreams, but not many.
“We’ll barely be able to believe it until it happens, but the dates are set, we’re studying every note, line and beat to say ‘thank you’ to The Smiths alongside Rick and do both of them proud.”
Rick Astley added: “From the moment The Smiths emerged in 1983, I was hooked and it’s as a fan, with deep respect as a musician for Morrissey, Marr, Rourke and Joyce, that I’ll be joining the endlessly enthusiastic and talented Blossoms on stage to sing their songs.
“It’s no secret that it’s been an ambition of mine to turn an idea that first sounded crazy, making more sense as Blossoms and I talked about it and then rehearsed it, into a reality.
“These shows will be nights that I’ll never forget.”
Tickets for both shows happening next month are now on sale here.
A bar in Manchester is throwing a 2000s-themed Myspace party
Georgina Pellant
A Manchester gaming bar is throwing a 2000s-themed Myspace party this week, taking it back to a time when studded belts were all the rage and angsty bands like Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, and Taking Back Sunday ruled the airwaves.
Staff at Pixel Bar are getting ready to relive their Myspace Scene kid days with a free-to-enter ‘Myspace social’, which will take place on Tuesday 4 October at the Northern Quarter gaming bar.
Promising a night full of emo, pop punk and scene classics, if you regularly find yourself listening back to old Brand New songs and fingering packets of blue-black hair dye in Boots, this is probably a party for you.
Throughout the night Pixel Bar will be running a 40% industry discount on food and drink for partygoers, as well as hosting games of beer pong and giant Jenga.
Dressing up is not mandatory but it is encouraged, and its bar staff will be going all out in their best emo and Scene kid get-ups – so expect to see a lot of kohl eyeliner, sweeping fringes, and maybe even a few pairs of fingerless gloves.
Sharing the news of the upcoming party on social media, Pixel Bar wrote: “We’re officially bringing Myspace back!
“Head down next Tuesday for our Myspace special. Mega industry discount with 40% off food and drink!
“@camthedj is spinning all the Scene/Emo tracks bringing back the emo fringe.”
Originally hailing from Leeds, Pixel Bar opened its second site in Manchester at the end of 2021 and became an instant hit with the city’s gaming community.
Selling 18 different gaming-themed cocktails, with choices like ‘Jigglypuff’, ‘Princess Perch’ and the ‘Yoshi’s Island Iced Tea’, plus a selection of ‘magic potion’ shots promising do deliver ‘full health’ and ‘stamina’, it has quickly become a haven for gamers.
The bar also has a signature cocktail called ‘Who’s that Pokemon?’ – a combination of vodka, lemon juice, soda and your choice of flavoured syrup.
Elsewhere, you’ll find the newest PlayStation 5, Xbox X Series, and Nintendo platforms, arcade games, high-spec PCs and a downstairs club room playing early 00s pop punk until the early hours.
Oasis’ Bonehead reveals he has been given the all-clear following cancer battle
Danny Jones
Music lovers everywhere, rejoice, as Oasis‘ former guitarist ‘Bonehead‘ has revealed that he has been given the all-clear following his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The 57-year-old – real name Paul Benjamin Arthurs – announced the uplifting update via social media on Friday morning, confirming he had a “full scan 10 days ago” and that the cancer is now gone.
Absolutely mint news.
Update on my cancer; I had a full scan 10 days ago and it’s all clear, it’s gone. Thank you so much all of you for the messages I’ve had throughout , you’ve helped more than you know. Thank you especially to the team at @TheChristieNHS , into recovery now and see you all soon x
Bonehead was diagnosed with tonsil cancer back in April and kept fans in the loop with intermittent posts informing them on how his treatment was progressing, confirming that he had finished his final round of sessions back in June.
The last we heard was a tweet informing his followers that he was feeling “feeling ok” following the radiotherapy treatment in May but that he, sadly, still wouldn’t be able to make an appearance at Liam Gallagher’s highly-anticipated Knebworth homecoming gig.
Regardless, Gallagher was the first to voice his support back and one was no different this time around, taking to Twitter to celebrate the wonderful news.
YES BONEHEAD WE KNEW YOUD KICK ITS ARSE SOOOOO FUCKING HAPPY GUINNESS LG x
Besides behind the rhythm guitarist and occasional keyboardist, Arthurs was one of the band’s founding members all the way back in 1999. He ultimately left in 1999 whilst they were recording their fourth album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, stating that he wanted to spend more time with his family.
Bonehead thanked his followers for their messages of support throughout his journey, insisting “you’ve helped more than you know”.
He also gave a special thank you to “the team at @TheChristieNHS“, Manchester’s specialist cancer treatment hospital, one of the biggest in Europe.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust in Withington is the largest single cancer treatment centre on the continent and one of the leading facilities for cancer research, care and radiotherapy in the UK.
Emily Sergeant -
16th September 2021 
