Easter Sunday at The Blue Room

On Easter Sunday I went along to The Blue Room with another photographer from altblackpool (pictures to follow). We were lucky enough to watch quite a show, starting with Leoni Jane Kennedy who, at such a tender age, really belts out a tune. Leoni’s set was acoustic and her singing voice is strong and melodic. She sang to the crowd without a touch of nerves and lit up the room with her youthful exuberance.

Next up were a local band, The Locals (catchy name). Having never seen them before I enjoyed their energy which rubbed off on an Easter egg filled audience, getting people out of their seats and onto the dance floor. I would definitely catch up with The Locals again; they had a presence which was clearly engaging and infectious. People were bobbing around and getting into a spirited Bank Holiday Monday vibe, including myself.

Finally, the headliners took to the stage.  The Atmospherics, aptly named, are still whipper snappers by all accounts. I first saw them play at Blackpool Sixth Form last year, where, as a newly formed band, they played well against more well-established acts. On the night they covered The Arctic Monkeys, Franz Ferdinand, The Fratellis and The Buzzcocks amongst others. They had a clear following and there was no stopping the Blue Room crowd; the whole place was up and bouncing.  There was a good atmosphere – perhaps that is why they are called The Atmospherics? But they didn’t just do covers, they played their own stuff too which stood up well against the more well known songs they played.

I even found myself having a dance, which is sometimes the best way to get in on the action if you are taking photos, but hey, I couldn’t help myself. There was a good vibe all round. I enjoyed their sounds, they played and sang well and had a good stage presence. All the elements were there to make it enjoyable and entertaining.  The Atmospherics are: Dave Mangnall, singer/guitarist, Sam Snibson, lead guitarist, Matt Yates, bass, and Luke Gilbert, drummer.

The Bands that we saw and photographed over the weekend were all worth the trip out to the effervescent Blue Room. We should support our local music scene. Lots of talent is born out of the North West of England and who knows, you may get the chance to watch the next Stone Roses or Blur? But only if you get to that free gig – don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Photography courtesy of C J Griffiths Photography.