Blossoms will be back on home turf tonight with a massive show at Castlefield Bowl.
It’s part of the Sounds of the City summer gig series and will see the Stockport indie-rockers perform on the canal-side outdoor stage.
The group announced the 6 July gig last December, hot off the back of four huge gigs at the O2 Apollo. They’ve also recently torn up the Glastonbury stage with a blistering set with Rick Astley.
Since forming in 2013, Blossoms have gone from strength to strength and quickly asserted themselves as one of the UK’s most recognisable artists- especially here in the north.
Blossoms have four chart-topping albums, from their self-titled debut to last year’s Ribbon Around the Bomb.
Still to come at Castlefield Bowl after Blossoms will be Two Door Cinema Club, Bastille and Hacienda Classical, with shows from Pulp and The Lathums already finished.
Here’s everything you need to know about Blossoms at Castlefield Bowl.
Stage times for Blossoms at Castlefield Bowl
Doors – 5.30pm
DJ – 5.30pm
Seb Lowe – 6.45pm
Inspiral Carpets – 7.45pm
Blossoms – 9pm
Who’s supporting Blossoms at Castlefield Bowl?
When they head over to Leeds later this week, Blossoms will be welcoming friend and fellow musician Miles Kane onto the stage with them.
But here, they’re looking much more local, bringing in a legendary Manchester name.
It’ll be Inspiral Carpets supporting the five-piece at Sounds of the City.
The Oldham-formed band were an instrumental part of the Madchester movement in the late 80s and early 90s, made up of Clint Boon, Graham Lambert, Stephen Holt, Kev Clark and Oscar Boon.
19-year-old rising star Seb Lowe, who started his music career on TikTok but is now dominating much bigger stages, will open the show tonight.
Tickets for Blossoms at Castlefield Bowl
Oh dear, it’s another Sounds of the City gig that’s totally sold out.
Blossoms tickets were initially priced at £44.45 but, as often happens with their homecoming gigs, sold out quickly.
If you’re desperate to go, keep an eye on resale sites but make sure you’re buying from a trustworthy seller so you don’t get ripped off.
What will Blossoms setlist be?
We’re looking forward to our two big shows in the coming week. We’re starting with a SOLD OUT show at Manchester Castlefield Bowl before heading to Leeds Millennium Square on Sat 8 July with @MilesKaneMusic. There are a limited tickets remaining for Leeds https://t.co/K2cuOr06vEpic.twitter.com/EShsD4YdTc
Blossoms love to pull out surprises at their shows, from special guests to unexpected covers, so you never know exactly what you’re going to get.
But this is their most recent setlist from their gig at HMV Empire in Coventry.
Your Girlfriend Honey Sweet Oh No (I Think I’m in Love) The Keeper Cool Like You Ribbon Around the Bomb How Long Will This Last? Getaway Ode to NYC The Sulking Poet Blown Rose I Can’t Stand It If You Think This Is Real Life Care For Blow At Most a Kiss My Swimming Brain My Favourite Room Encore: There’s a Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls) Charlemagne
Weather forecast at Castlefield Bowl, Manchester
Sounds of the City at Castlefield Bowl. Credit: Sam Neill
Castlefield Bowl is an outdoor venue, with only a very small amount of cover by the amphitheatre seating.
It looks like the Manchester rain will hold off tonight, though it’s not exactly screaming summer weather.
Temperatures are set to peak at 21 degrees, with a low of 15 degrees, according to the Met Office.
It will be cloudy all night, too.
About Castlefield Bowl
Castlefield Bowl is an amphitheatre-style outdoor venue in the city centre.
Although all tickets are billed as unreserved standing, if you’re quick you can take a seat on the large concrete steps that curve around the stage.
Many people also take a perch up on the grassy banks at the back of the venue too.
Castlefield Bowl is located at 101 Liverpool Road in the city centre.
The closest tram stop is Deansgate-Castlefield, which is only a six-minute walk away.
You can also walk it from the major train stations, or use the 101, 197, 255, 256, 41, 50 or X50 buses.
Review | Dua Lipa had Anfield levitating on her first night in Liverpool
Thomas Melia
British-Albanian performer and prolific pop star Dua Lipa is halfway through her first-ever international stadium tour, and it’s nothing shy of a spectacle – night one in Liverpool living, breathing, levitating proof.
To say I wasn’t singing more than half of this setlist verbatim would be a lie; the setlist for Lipa’s Radical Optimism tour is stacked with hits upon mega hits.
Her commanding single ‘Training Season’ kicks things off and besides getting the whole stadium hyped up, it sets the tone for the night ahead, one Dua has full control of, and also features a firework or two.
Within 15 minutes of stepping onto the stage, the unofficial anthem of Anfield’s resident football club and recently re-crowned Premier League champions, Liverpool FC, was played.
Dua Lipa performing ‘Physical’ at Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.Smiles all round at the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour in Liverpool.Credit: Audio North
In fact, ‘One Kiss’ was met with an unmatched electric energy that she ended up playing it again later on, because why the hell not?
This isn’t just a song: it’s a beast. When you’re playing a song that’s spent eight weeks at No.1, has 2.5 billion streams and at an arena with a legacy like Anfield‘s, there was simply no way these fans were going to be tame.
Similarly, partway through the second act, Lipa had the audience wrapped around her fingers once more as she played the dance-inducing smash ‘Levitating’. In that moment, we were all her “sugarboos.”
Already seven songs in, Lipa manages to cram another one in with a helping hand from local legend and The Zutons frontman, Dave McCabe, who joins the star to duet another classic, ‘Valerie’.
This was a proper crowd-pleasing moment. To be honest, they all were.
As we strut our stuff into the third act, we’re met with another dancefloor filler, ‘Physical’, fans were ready and waiting to chant “let’s get physical” with the superstar.
The fourth act, on the other hand, was much more relaxed. Ms. Lipa took some time to show her love to some of the album’s deeper cuts; I greatly appreciated being able to belt out “How looong?” as she played ‘Falling Forever.’
She finished this segment with the song that started it all, one she’s never forgotten to play since bursting onto the music scene back in 2015: ‘Be The One.’
Dua, let us tell you something, you’ll always be the one.
Dua Lipa and Dave McCabe (The Zutons) performing ‘Valerie’.The superstar taking pictures with fans at Anfield Stadium.Liverpool is in for a treat if the second Dua Lipa show is even half as good as night one at Anfield.
The encore felt like the epitome of all things Dua Lipa. It’s like when you hear that one ABBA megamix that has you shouting, “Oh, I know this one… and I know this one too!”
And rightly so, with a back-to-back, four-song medley spanning from ‘New Rules’ and ‘Dance the Night’, to ‘Don’t Start Now’ and ‘Houdini’. Perfect, perfect, perfect.
After this medley, night one of the ‘Radical Optimism’ tour was over, but we and the fans were certainly left feeling radically optimistic.
Come on, how can you not be when the timeless classic ‘I Wanna Dance With Somebody’ by Whitney Houston is soundtracking your concert exit?
Lipa had the crowd well and truly in her fingertips.Dua gave quite the performance at Anfield Stadium.An increasing master of not just pop songs but stagecraft too. (Credit: Audio North)
Olivia Dean has announced a special intimate show in Manchester
Danny Jones
Soulful singing sensation Olivia Dean has set the UK music scene alight by announcing a number of intimate shows up and down the nation, including one right here in Manchester.
The fast-rising solo artist, who blends everything from pop and jazz to neo-soul as well as R’n’B, is one of the best and up-and-coming artists in Britain right now, with her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Art of Loving, set to release at the start of autumn.
As well as releasing her smash hit new single ‘Nice To Each Other’, the 26-year-old recently delighted even more music fans by joining Sam Fender on stage in London for a live twist on his track ‘Rein Me In’, which was instantly adored by millions and has now been shared as an official studio version.
Safe to say she’s flying high right now, and the second LP isn’t even out yet, which makes this small handful of gigs even more special and tickets super sought-after.
Revealing just seven pared-back shows across the country, Olivia said on her socials: “The art of loving in person! We’re doing some intimate shows, playing some songs acoustically and talking about making the album”, which is due to release on Friday, 26 September.
Partnering up with music shop chain and independent artist champions Rough Trade for the event, she’s set to play the just over 500-capacity gem that is Manchester’s Gorilla.
Other gigs up north include Liverpool at The Jacaranda and over at The Wardrobe in Leeds, where beloved local legends Crash Records will be helping host the show.
With the debut single already out, along with an already viral music video and accompanying dance alongside it, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this project.
We’d pay virtually anything to see Olivia Dean and a group of backing singers do this at an intimate gig in Manchester.
We think we speak for pretty much everyone when we say that not only are we excited to hear The Art of Loving once it’s out, but hearing it live and in this special acoustic format is sure to go down as one of those ‘I was there moments.’
Playing smaller acoustic album launch shows is nothing new, but they are sometimes the only chance fans will get to hear their favourite musicians play their songs in such a way, so Olivia Dean die-hards are understandably going to be scrambling for these tickets.
Once again, her second album is available to pre-order now, and tickets for her show on Friday, 19 September, will go live tomorrow (Wednesday, 5 June) at 10am.
You can get ready to grab yours HERE, and for now, why not read our review of the last time she came to Manchester for what was a truly magical headline slot?
Daisy Jackson -
6th July 2023 
