They released their fourth studio album ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’, earlier this year to critical acclaim. Sonically, this collection of songs had flashes of the old Blossoms style, but this was a more mature sound with more heartfelt and introspective lyrics than ever before.

Their autumn tour was the perfect way to showcase both their new material as well as some carefully-selected songs from previous albums along with a couple of surprises. We’ll come back to that!

The Stockport quintet kicked things off with two tracks from their eponymous album from 2016 ‘At Most A Kiss’ and ‘Honey Sweet’ which was swiftly followed up with a rousing rendition of ‘Oh No (I Think I’m In Love)’ which effortlessly showcased Tom Ogden’s superb delivery as well as Joe Donovan’s impressive drumming.

It was also great to hear tracks from their fantastic second album ‘Cool Like You’ such as ‘How Long Will This Last?’ and ‘I Can’t Stand It’ which really got the crowd going.

Frontman Tom Ogden gave fans a tantilising insight into the story behind the song ‘Ode to NYC. With inspiring lyrics like ‘Times Square’s a kaleidoscope of colour…./Oh, what a place’, which is clearly a love letter to the iconic city.

Tom explained how the band had written the track in hope of being used in a TV show for Netflix but it never transpired. Come on Netflix, let’s make this happen!

‘The Sulking Poet’ which touches on Ogden’s feelings of imposter syndrome along with ‘If You Think This Is Real Life’ and the superb ‘My Swimming Brain’ were all absolutely fantastic and showed both their musicality and storytelling as well as what a tight unit the band truly are.

Can you segue from ‘My Favourite Room’ to epic renditions of ‘Half The World Away’ whilst bringing the outro of Wham’s ‘Last Christmas’ into the mix? When it comes to Blossoms, the answer is an unequivocal yes!

Whilst there weren’t really any deep cuts, there were some real fan favourites in the mix which included the intoxicating ‘Your Girlfriend’ and the synth-laden hypnotic ‘Charlemagne’.

This was a commanding, dynamic and uplifting set from the band who are without a doubt one of the best bands in the UK right now.

Charismatic, captivating and cool, when it comes to Andy Crofts, there’s no end of superlatives that should be afforded to the talented musician.

He is the founding member of the psychedelic indie rock band The Moons and is also the bass player for Paul Weller and runs Colorama Records.

However, it’s not just in music where his talents lie. He’s also an accomplished artist and photographer too and has published a book of compelling prints of Paul Weller whilst on tour.

Music is his first passion, however, and he’s currently in the midst of a UK-wide acoustic tour, further to a sold-out appearance at The 100 Club in London.

His gig at Heartbreakers was opened by the amiable Jim Chorley, a folk singer who performed a laidback and heartfelt set.

He was followed by the fantastic ‘Teenage Waitress‘ AKA Daniel Ash who released his debut album ‘Love & Chemicals’ two years ago to critical acclaim. He has received support from the likes of Paul Weller, Robert Carlyle and more and was also hand-picked by Tim Burgess to take part in his famed ‘Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties’.

He performed tracks both from this album and his forthcoming (yet to be named) follow up which included ‘Too Much Of A Good Thing’, ‘The Big Smoke’, ‘Little Pieces’ as well as fantastic renditions of two of my personal favourites ‘You Ain’t Got It Bad’ and ‘The Mess You Made Me Make’ which talks of being in conflict with the voice in your head and the ramifications that this can have.

Endearing and ebullient in equal measure, Daniel is a fantastic performer and an excellent songwriter. Expect big things from him in 2023!

As the bass player for Paul Weller, Andy Crofts is no stranger to the stage, but this acoustic, stripped-back set was an absolute triumph.

A consummate professional, Andy’s set was an intimate and inspirational affair that showcased his accomplished guitar playing and musicianship as well as his impressive songwriting.

Whilst the majority of his set was acoustic renditions of his songs from The Moons, he did perform his latest solo single ‘Westway’ – a beautiful love song.

Andy also performed tracks from the most recent album by The Moons, the brilliant ‘Pocket Melodies’. Fans were treated to beautiful versions of ‘Sleep’, the charming ‘Maybe I’m The Perfect Man’ and the Kinks-esque ‘The Old Brigade’ which he explained was a nod to his childhood growing up in Northampton.

He archly dissects a myriad of themes throughout his songwriting, but thematically predominantly focuses on subjects like love, loss, and isolation as well as bringing into play his perceptions of life in the UK.

‘Jennifer (Sits Alone)’ which talks of how it feels to be an outsider was exquisite and this is where Andy’s superb storytelling really came into play as was fan favourite ‘English Summer’ which was a real standout.

He effortlessly engaged with the crowd with a delectable combination of wit, humility and charm whilst showcasing his impressive body of work with ease and an impeccable and exuberant delivery.

Andy’s stagecraft is evident, it is clear he loves to perform and this was an enthralling, prodigious and first-class performance. He is an exceptional singer-songwriter and if you love carefully-crafted songs with a nostalgic vibe, then definitely catch him on tour and give his band The Moons a listen.

Find out more about Andy Crofts via his website or follow him and his band The Moons on Instagram.

So Knebworth again. He came. He saw and he fucking conquered. Some (might say!) that you shouldn’t go back to Knebworth, but to hell with expectations and rules. Liam’s always swaggered to the beat of his own drum anyway. When it comes to Knebworth, as the man says himself ‘This is history – part 2!’

Let’s cast our minds back to the Platinum Jubilee weekend in June. I was at Knebworth reviewing the one and only Liam Gallagher. When he announced that he would be performing at the iconic Hertfordshire venue, 26 years after Oasis did THAT gig, there were a few rumblings from naysayers, but predominantly, there was a real sense of anticipation and the excitement was palpable.

LG sold out two nights and his huge back-to-back shows saw him perform in front of 170,000 adoring fans. Whether you were there or not, ‘Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22’ will make you feel like you were there.

This brand new documentary film directed by Toby L , who has also worked on film projects for Bastille, Olivia Rodrigo and Damon Albarn offers an intimate insight into Liam and his team’s preparations for Knebworth.

It follows Liam as he heads back to the hallowed ground of Knebworth. This intriguing film showcases tracks from the gig interspersed with backstage footage which includes interviews, soundchecks and more.

There’s also commentary from his band members and fans. It’s an absolutely fantastic watch for both Liam stalwarts and a new generation of LG fans. Some of them weren’t even born at the height of the band’s success.

It cleverly offers several different perspectives of a selection of fans who are going to the gig and the gargantuan impact that Liam has on their lives, many of which have travelled far and wide to watch the iconic gig.

There’s little Audrina, an absolute demon on the ukulele who has thankfully recovered from cancer, the hugely passionate Aya who is missing her biggest exam at college in Belgium to go to Knebworth, Simon who’s taking his entire family of three generations to the gig and has an Liam-themed pub in his garden – the list goes on.

One fan cancelled his honeymoon in Jamaica to go, another used her life savings to go watch Liam and another who has sacked off his job to go. After all, this was going to be the biggest gig of the year, why let weddings/money/your boss get in the way?! They clearly are all channelling the spirit of LG with a ‘zero fucks’ attitude.

Everyone has a story (Morning Glory!) and it’s heartening to see how the magnitude of how Liam, Oasis and his solo music have touched so many people. There’s some throwback footage from the 90’s, including footage from Oasis making their TV debut on ‘The Word’ from 1994.

At the beginning of the film, we see Liam flying over Knebworth in a helicopter and you really get a feeling of how up for it he is. This has been a long time coming. He says that he just wants to get on the stage ‘like a caged animal’ commenting that he ‘just wants to fucking let rip you know what I mean?’.

After the live music industry had been devastated by Covid-19, the return of gigs and festivals has never been more important and Knebworth was the pinnacle of this.

Even Liam admits that he didn’t think they would get back to ‘doing arenas let alone Knebworth’. Both nights had a fantastic line up of support acts on the bill including Kasabian. All of which were hand-picked by Gallagher to join him for the two nights he played at Knebworth.

Kasabian’s Serge makes a cameo commenting how music is ‘bringing people together’ and there’s also insight on Liam and his musical legacy from the likes of Melvin Benn (the promoter and MD of Festival Republic), Sam Eldridge (Liam’s Co-Manager who with Debbie Gwyther who have collectively helped shape Liam’s career and have been instrumental to the success of the Knebworth gigs) and band members – keyboard player Christian Madden and guitarist Mike Moore.

There’s some funny anecdotes, Liam genuinely can’t remember certain aspects and places of Knebworth after performing there with Oasis in the ‘90’s. ‘I’ve never seen it in my fucking life!’ he remarks whilst marvelling at the expansive Knebworth landscape ‘Fucking hell, it’s big Debs!’.

C’mon You Know!

Some of the fans interviewed in the documentary were there and unequivocally have a slightly less than hazy recollection of that summer’s day and explained why they wanted to go back for as Liam calls it Knebworth ‘Part 2’. Without a doubt, this gig was really important to them to be part of the story and of Knebworth’s heritage.

Some things are always the same, the Oasis tee shirts, the bucket hats (although Liam admits he doesn’t think the fashion (of the ‘90’s) ‘was all that’. But Liam looked resplendent in a pristine white parka on Friday and looked equally cool the following day.

Whilst this documentary doesn’t show any of the footage of any Oasis tracks, the music that is included stands on its own merits, with tracks like ‘More Power’, a beautiful track from 2022’s ‘C’mon You Know’ (his third solo album) the epic ‘Wall of Glass’ from 2017’s ‘As You Were’, ‘Shockwave’ from 2019’s ‘Why Me? Why Not.’, ‘Everything’s Electric’ (which was co-written by Dave Grohl) ‘Better Days’, ‘The River’, ‘More Power’ and more.

Liam was joined by the legendary Stone Roses’ guitarist John Squire as the colossal gig drew to a close. It wasn’t John’s first rodeo at Knebworth having also appeared at the venue with Oasis back in 1996. This is sadly not included in the documentary, but it was truly a special moment for the elated crowd.

Liam Gallagher is a captivating performer with a charismatic stage presence, he sings as if his life depends on it and the gig at Knebworth was truly a magical and ‘biblical’ experience.

He’s a powerhouse in a parka, and this documentary not only showcases his craftsmanship and prowess as a performer, but it emphasises how instrumental live music is and what it means to us all.

Of course, it’s not just about Liam’s story, it’s about all of us. How we are all enjoying a moment in time, a song, an album and a gig. We’re all here for the same reason – the music. As Liam says ‘That’s what it’s all about, bringing people together’.

Omission of Oasis tracks aside, what’s clear is Liam’s passion for his music, the gig and his fans. He wants to do the best gig he can whether it’s for 100 fans or 100,000 fans. He is a man of the people and admits he is giving the fans ‘what they want’.

When it comes to Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22, as LG says himself ‘Do you want to know what’s going on – check this shit out!’

Liam Gallagher – Knebworth 22 will be in cinemas worldwide from Thursday 17th November for a limited time only.

The Cure’s live shows are always bewitching, intoxicating and dynamic and their gig at the Nelson Mandela Forum in Florence, Italy was no exception. If you have ever been fortunate to go and see The Cure live, you will know that the set is always super long, but it’s a unique and fulfilling sonic experience.

The band were ably supported by the Scottish rock band The Twilight Sad, who performed tracks like ‘Kill It in the Morning’, ‘There’s a Girl in the Corner’ and a superb cover of Frightened Rabbit’s ‘Keep Yourself Warm’.

This wasn’t The Twilight Sad’s first rodeo touring with The Cure and they put on an impressive set that entertained the crowd.

The staging was incredibly atmospheric, before The Cure came on stage, a cacophony of rain could be heard over the speakers which added a real sense of anticipation to the proceedings.

Robert Smith and the band kicked off their set with a brand new song that has been incredibly well-received by fans throughout their European tour. 

‘Alone’ a soaring, dramatic track that really draws you in is a triumph and showcases Smith’s prowess as an exemplary songwriter with lyrics like ‘The fire burned out to ash and the stars grow dim with tears’.

This, coupled with two other tracks that were interspersed between deep cuts and evergreen classics made the band’s set an absolutely electric affair. The new tracks form part of a forthcoming and highly-anticipated album by The Cure which frontman Robert Smith has hinted will be entitled ‘Songs of the Lost World’ and has indicated will be ‘the doomiest thing we’ve ever done’.

The long-awaited album (their first since 2008’s ‘4:13 Dream‘) is rumoured to be comparable to the likes of 1989’s ‘Disintegration’.

However, as is the case with The Cure, where there’s dark, there’s also light which could be found in tracks like the joyful ‘Friday I’m in Love’ which really set the crowd alight. ‘Lovesong’ was a huge triumph as was the post-punk anthem ‘A Forest’ which was haunting and heavenly in equal measure.

Another new song from ‘Songs Of A Lost World‘ included ‘I Can Never Say Goodbye’ an emotional track which was a tribute to Robert’s brother who sadly passed away.

Highly emotive, this deeply personal track really resonates with anyone who has ever lost someone they love with touching lyrics like ‘‘Something wicked this way comes, to steal away my brother’s life’.

‘Endsong’ was a stunning exhibition of the band’s super musicality and stage presence. The pioneering and introspective track was performed under a blood moon on the big screen.

Those looking for a back-to-back showcase of The Cures’ most loved, seminal rock ’n’ roll hits were not disappointed with tracks like ‘Lullaby’, ‘Close To Me’, ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘Hot Hot Hot!’ which was a tour debut, ‘Pictures of You’, and ‘In Between Days’. This was an exemplary set that showcased their impressive body of work.

Every band member put on a first-class and dynamic performance which included a welcome return of Perry Bamonte back to the band. Bassist Simon Gallup put on a high-octane and exuberant performance showing why he’s one of the best bass players in the business.

A force of nature and one of the most compelling and intriguing frontmen in music, Smith is a charismatic and captivating performer, his vocals remain as impassioned as ever before and haven’t changed since the band’s inception in the late seventies.

One of the highlights was the closer ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ which was a euphoric and dazzling rendition of one of the band’s best-loved hits.

The Cures’ gig in Florence was an electrifying and unmissable experience, with the band proving once again how incredible they are on stage.

Mesmerising and captivating; there are probably not enough superlatives to give The Cure who put on one of their best-ever performances in Florence.

Photo credits: Mauro Melis and Emma Harrison