In a world clouded by political hardship and violent conflict, it’s crucial to remember the importance of doing what you can to support others in need. BRITs Week 25 delivered by DHL for War Child does exactly that, an initiative that continued this week with Kasabian and Blossoms taking to the intimate O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London. With both bands coming together for a special, one-off intimate night of music in the capital, all proceeds raised by the show are used to help provide protection, education, mental health support and assistance to those affected by war.
A celebration of togetherness in music, opening the night in fantastic fashion, Stockport quintet indie rock band, Blossoms, took to the stage in style with guitar-driven melodic hits, including ‘Charlemagne’, ‘ Your Girlfriend’ and recent fan favourite ‘Gary’. Blending 1970s glam rock aesthetics with modern synth-infused melodies, the group, led by frontman Tom Ogden, epitomise the sweet sounds stemming from the UK’s brit-pop scene, championing music of the past with their nostalgic blend of traditional influences and the new wave. Truth be told, Blossoms are no doubt a headliner themselves, so to see them walk off stage knowing that one of the biggest bands to come out of the UK, Glastonbury 2009 headliners, Kasabian, were shortly due to come on, was something special in itself.
After a brief intermission, legendary English rock band Kasabian were summoned to the stage after playing an introduction of ‘Hey Jude’ in pure Brit style, opening with their new track ‘Call’. Swiftly igniting the audience with classics such as ‘Club Foot’, ‘You’re In Love With A Psycho’ and ‘Underdog’, the opening twenty minutes alone was proof that good music stands the test of time. Charismatically living up to their status billing, the audience was treated to a healthy mixture of newer and older music spanning across their discography since 2004, notably a stacked setlist of nineteen tracks over an hour and a half set.
Energy lifted and crafted by the now-frontman Sergio Pizzorno, who even ventured into the stalls and the balcony throughout the set, Kasabian offloaded tangible music that could be felt reverberating around the walls of the 2000 capacity venue. It has to be said, there is something of beauty behind a room full of mixed-aged personnel jumping up and down emphatically, starting moshpits, throwing beer in the air… it serves a characteristic of youth, being carefree and living in the moment. A very much unexpected special guest appearance by comedian and Bake Off co-host Noel Fielding added a comedic touch to the performance, before the night concluded with arguably their most famous and iconic track, ‘Fire’, sending the audience into a fracas of mosh-pits for one last time in the evening.
An fantastic evening of music so demonstrative of how music can provide a force for change, War Child’s global mission is one of such importance, felt far and wide by not only those impacted by conflict, but those away from the grain who aren’t.
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BRITs Week 25, delivered by DHL for War Child gives fans the unforgettable opportunity to see intimate, one-off performances from some of the biggest and most exciting names in music at some of the UK’s best venues.
All proceeds from the shows go towards War Child’s phenomenal work to help provide protection, education, mental health support, and more while standing up for the rights of children whose lives have been devastatingly affected by war. The total amount raised for War Child by BRITs Week, since its inception in 2009, is over £7,430,000.
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Words: Harvey Marwood
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