LIVE REVIEW: Stereophonics, Blossoms, Finn Forster, Summer Sessions, Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, 28/06/2025
We have had all the bands with the letter S at Summer Sessions this year: Sex Pistols (with Frank Carter), Sting, Simple Minds and now Welsh rockers Stereophonics are in Glasgow to finish up the very successful 2025 Summer Sessions. On the train over from Glasgow Central to Dumbreck there is a notable difference in the crowd dynamics, the crowd is generally much younger making today feel more like a day at TRNSMT, the estimated attendance at this sold-out show was in the region of thirty-five thousand.
After another quick entry to Bellahouston Park we had to wait a while before Middlesbrough lad Finn Forster took to the stage but it was well worth the wait, his powerful vocals were excellent throughout the performance sometimes reminding us of a young Sam Fender. Considering that this is his first time playing in Glasgow there was a massive crowd to see his half hour mix of indie rock and Americana, he has the full band with him today with six musicians filling the large stage. Can’t Back Down and On My Mind were the pick of the set for us and most of the tracks were from his EP Embers that was released in May. 7/10
Blossoms had played a blinding set at Glastonbury the previous day and we did wonder if they would be lacking energy today after the long journey … not a chance! The sun is out, everyone is happy, the drinks are flowing so what better way to celebrate than with an hour of Stockport’s finest Blossoms? The set gets off to a flyer with Your Girlfriend and Oh No (I Think I’m In Love), the park is jam packed now helping create a special atmosphere, Honey Sweet and I Can’t Stand It are standouts. I Like Your Look was played at Glastonbury alongside Irish indie-country star CMAT but sadly she isn’t here today. We would also have loved to hear the two new songs The Honeymoon and Mariah Carey Through Death Valley, maybe next time.
The end of the set is top class with biggest track Charlemagne being a crowd pleaser and a chance for everyone to join in and this is followed by the title song from their latest album release Gary, we even get a visit from the famous ten foot gorilla named Gary who the song is actually written about. The basic story is that vocalist Tom Ogden heard a news report a couple of years ago about a fibreglass gorilla that went missing from a garden centre in Lanarkshire and went home and wrote the song Gary … this then led to an album of the same name. Blossoms were the perfect choice of support for Stereophonics. 10/10
Welsh rockers Stereophonics took Glasgow by storm as Kelly Jones and co. ran through a top drawer setlist of hits but surprisingly only two from latest album release Make ‘em Laugh, Make ‘em Cry, Make ‘em Wait. The tracks in question being There’s Always Gonna Be Something and Seems Like You Don’t Know Me. No complaints though as the set begins with the timeless The Bartender and the Thief, Vegas Two Times and I Wanna Get Lost With You, a song that is a personal favourite. Jones’ vocals are perfect as are the guitar riffs from childhood friend Richard Jones, no relation though as Jones is as common a name in Wales as Smith is in Scotland. Kelly Jones tells the crowd that they were invited to play at Glastonbury but they said they would rather play Glasgow … that’s a statement in itself Glasgow rather than Glasto, there is not much wokeness going on in Bellahouston Park today that’s for sure.
As the set moves on Maybe Tomorrow is played acoustically and after the astounding Mr Writer prompts a mass singalong while I Wouldn’t Believe Your Radio is played by Kelly Jones himself on a ukulele. The last two tracks of the main set allow the crowd to burst with excitement and scream the chorus of Local Boy In The Photograph back to the stage while C’est La Vie is epic and the fastest, punkiest song on the set, there are great memories being made here today that’s for sure.
As we approach the two-hour mark of the set the encore starts off slowly with Step On My Old Size Nines and Handbags and Gladrags, lots of fans are leaving to catch the train but we hang around to hear Dakota, another personal favourite and the last of the set and the best of the night. Everyone is singing along as they leave the park without a care in the world, the perfect end to Summer Sessions 2025, we hope next year’s line-up is as exciting as this one! 10/10
Written by: Alan Brown
