After a magical opening week for Forest Live 2025 at Delamere Forest, it was Stockport’s finest, Blossoms, who brought the series to a close in stunning fashion. With a devoted northern crowd filling every corner of the forest floor and the evening sun casting golden light through the trees, the stage was perfectly set for a performance that felt both intimate and electric.
There’s something uniquely special about watching a band like Blossoms in a setting like this, where the natural beauty of the surroundings reflects the cinematic feel of their sound and stage set-up. With each passing year, they continue to evolve and expand, becoming one of the nations most loved bands.
The evening’s support came from two exciting northern up-and-comers: Manchester-based The Guest List and Oldham’s Seb Lowe. Opening the show, The Guest List brought a lively energy and infectious charm that quickly won over early arrivals. Their blend of jangly yet raw indie melodies and tight guitar work provided the perfect early spark, making for a welcoming and refreshing start to the night. Despite being relatively new to the scene, they played with a self-assurance that suggests big things ahead. They opened with the shimmering Plasticine Heart, which sounded fantastic, and closed with a confident performance of their standout track Canada.
Next up was Seb Lowe, whose sharp-witted lyricism and passionate stage presence offered a distinct contrast in tone. Mixing spoken word elements with politically charged themes and dynamic instrumentation, his set packed a punch. Tracks like Terms & Conditions and Ode To Britannia were delivered with conviction and urgency, making an impact even on first-time listeners. His latest release, Football Players, also landed well, showcasing his knack for combining satire with substance. By the time Seb and his band left the stage, the forest was alive with anticipation – the perfect build-up to the main event.
As golden hour faded over the canopy, Blossoms took to the stage. The band launched straight into fan favourite Your Girlfriend, a confident, bouncy opener that immediately ignited the crowd. The energy surged with the follow-up I Can’t Stand It, its shimmering synths and aching melody ringing out perfectly across the open air. From there, they transitioned seamlessly into Getaway, which smoothly blended into the newer track Perfect Me.
It was a bold and dynamic start—a four-song run that showed off the full spectrum of their sound, from tongue-in-cheek indie pop to more introspective, layered textures. The band sounded tight, the chemistry palpable, especially with Charlie Salt back holding down the low end, after some time out of the band.
The crowd, a sea of bucket hats, gorilla masks, and Blossoms t-shirts, was fully locked in. Blossoms’ music—romantic, nostalgic, and built for communal singing—felt tailor-made for this woodland setting. Tracks Oh No (I Think I’m in Love) and What Can I Say After I’m Sorry? followed and kept things breezy and melodic, with frontman Tom Ogden in charming form, effortlessly connecting with the audience between songs with a seamless swagger. As always, his vocals felt crisp and emotionally honest, especially on newer track The Honeymoon.
While frontman Tom Ogden is the undeniable centrepiece—charming, sincere, and vocally spot-on, the band has always been more than a one-man show. Charlie Salt, back in his rightful place on bass and backing vocals, brought a grounded energy that visibly lifted the group. His musical chemistry with drummer Joe Donovan was sharp all night, a rhythm section that never faltered. Josh Dewhurst, effortlessly cool as ever, switched between shimmering lead guitar and lush textures with precision, while Myles Kellock layered everything with sweeping synths and harmonies, adding that unmistakable Blossoms atmosphere. Together, they are a tight-knit, well-orchestrated unit—a band with real cohesion and shared identity, refined over a decade of friendship and touring.
To close out the night, Blossoms delivered a crowd-pleasing run of four final songs, each one landing with the weight of a well-earned encore. They began with the tender and stripped-back My Favourite Room, a moment of calm and connection as Tom Ogden led an acoustic, forest-wide singalong with his band, spotlighted under soft stage lights. From there, the tempo picked up with the irresistibly groovy There’s A Reason Why (I Never Returned Your Calls), setting up a euphoric final act.
Next came Charlemagne, the band’s breakthrough hit from their 2016 debut—and it felt every bit as vital and beloved as it did the first time around. With its glittering synths and punchy chorus, it transformed the forest into what felt like a full-blown festival moment, with thousands of fans dancing on the forest field. Finally, they closed the show with the tongue-in-cheek fan-favourite Gary, a newer addition to the setlist that’s quickly become a live
staple, the title track from latest album. As the band wheeled out a full-sized fibreglass gorilla onto the stage to wild cheers, the night ended with the kind of surreal, joyous humour that only Blossoms could pull off. It was a finale that was part gig, part theatre, and entirely unforgettable.
For many, this show was more than just another gig—it was a homegrown band playing at the peak of their powers in a place not far from where it all began. With Salt’s return, new material shining alongside classics, and the unique atmosphere of Delamere Forest wrapping it all together, Blossoms’ performance was a fitting, feel-good finale to Forest Live 2025. Confident, emotional, and thoroughly uplifting, this was Blossoms doing what they do best: bringing people together, one perfect chorus at a time.
Words by Sophie Whitehurst
Photos by Ben Whitehurst (Instagram)
