Concert Review: Two Door Cinema Club with Blossoms at Express LIVE!
Outdoor concert season in Columbus kicked off in style last night at Express LIVE! with headliners Two Door Cinema Club. Coming off of a performance at Coachella last weekend, the indie-pop rockers from Northern Ireland came out amid an impressive light display, and launched immediately into “Cigarettes in the Theatre,” the opening track from their debut album Tourist History. The band moved on to three more songs upbeat songs from Tourist History, “Undercover Martyn,” “Do You Want It All?,” and “This Is the Life,” before slowing things down with the title track of the Changing of the Seasons EP. Despite Tourist History being now seven years old, it’s songs dominated the setlist, with the band performing nearly every track from the album.
Alex Trimble (vocals, rhythm guitar) kept things rolling from one song to the next throughout the night, only pausing to thank the crowd for their support before launching into another hit. Trimble’s lack of chatter between songs ensured that he, Sam Halliday (lead guitar), Kevin Baird (bass), and the rest of the band had ample to time to explore their discography. The crowd, while not a sell-out, was wildly enthusiastic throughout the set, with those in the pit jumping, dancing, and singing along to nearly every song. The well executed light show behind the band enhanced the party-like atmosphere, while never distracting from the music, the perfect setting for Two Door Cinema Club’s brand of pop infused indie rock.
Having just released their third studio album, Gameshow, last October, the band mixed in several of the new songs to their set, including the title track, along with “Bad Decisions,” “Lavendar,” and “Are We Ready? (Wreck).” The crowd was also treated to “Good Morning,” which Trimble said was a rare addition to the setlist.
After a very brief break, the band came back out on stage to close the night with a two song encore, “Someday,” from 2012’s Beacon, and then “What You Know,” Two Door Cinema Club’s seminal hit from Tourist History.
Blossoms (pictured above), an indie pop band from Stockport, Greater Manchester, England opened the night. The five-piece released their debut, self-titled album back in August, 2016, which peaked at #1 on the UK Albums Chart. For most of their songs, the band has a very laid back, easy going, synth-infused pop sound, with a cool lounge/dream feeling to it. The band launched their 11-song, 45 minute set, with “At Most A Kiss.”
During the middle of the set, Tom Ogden (lead vocals, guitar) asked the crowd if anybody had recently been dumped by their significant other. After many shouts from the crowd, Ogden engaged with a young woman in the front of the pit who said her name was Grace that that she had recently broken up with her boyfriend, Caleb. Ogden led the crowd in booing Caleb, and then inserted Grace into the band’s next song, "My Favourite Room." The band closed out their set with the more up-tempo, "Charlemagne," which was local radio station CD102.5’s “Diamond in the Rough Pick of the Week” this past Wednesday. Blossoms will back in Columbus on June 7 to headline a show at The Basement.
