The Blossoms gave fans an early Christmas gift at their Manchester gig on Friday. They surprised a packed O2 Apollo in Ardwick by inviting another local hero to the stage.
Leader singer and founder of The Courteeners, Liam Fray, went down a storm when he sang his band's classic from the "St Jude" album, "Not Nineteen Forever". He joined the Stockport band on the second night of a four consecutive performances at the venue.
It was a neat gesture. In 2015 the Blossoms supported the Courteeners during that band's awesome seven-night stint at the Apollo. Now seven years on Stockport's finest - who earned a five-star review from the Manchester Evening News for the first of the four performances this week - are headlining the 3,500 capacity legendary venue.
In the summer Blossoms played a wonderful set supporting The Killers at Old Trafford cricket ground. And despite the stellar headliners they kept the common touch and a great sense of humour. Lead singer Tom Ogden told a vast crowd: "The Killers have come all the way from Las Vegas. It took us 20 minutes down the A6."
Earlier this week Blossoms made a shock appearance on stage at one of Manchester's most famous music venues on Wednesday night (December 7). The Stockport band appeared at the Night and Day Cafe at a Co-op Live preview party, ahead of its huge arena launch next December.
The secret and intimate gig, which was invite-only, was organised ahead of the unveiling of the city's new £365 million arena, which is set to become one of the busiest and most important music venues in the world on the day it opens.
