'There's a real connection' - Blackpool Live at the Winter Gardens review

Now on its third event, Blackpool Live is beginning to feel like much more than a new concert series. What started as an ambitious attempt to put Blackpool back on the map as a destination for live music is already developing an identity of its own – and the latest Winter Gardens show on Friday 28th August demonstrated why.

With The Enemy headlining alongside We Are Scientists, Alex Spencer and Shambolics, the most recent event brought together established names and emerging talent, each offering a different perspective on the enduring appeal of live music.

Glasgow’s Shambolics opened the evening, bringing their dreamy, atmospheric take on indie-rock to the Winter Gardens. Their melodic sound created an immersive opening to the night, with the crowd passionately singing along to favourites including Nobody Move, Nobody Get Hurt, After Hours and The Great Escape.

Manchester’s Alex Spencer followed, bringing a youthful indie-rock energy to the stage. Where Do We Go From Here?, Waiting For the Change and These Will Be The Days captured the uncertainty, optimism and experiences of young adulthood, resonating strongly with the audience.

We asked Alex what it meant to be playing Blackpool Live:

“It’s brilliant to be part of it, especially with a line-up like this. We’re heading straight from Reading and Leeds Festival, via Blackpool, into my first European headline tour, so it feels like a really exciting part of what’s already a massive few weeks for us. Sharing a bill with bands like The Enemy, We Are Scientists and Shambolics just makes it even better.”

We also asked Alex if coming from Manchester he felt a particular camaraderie with Blackpool music fans.

“There’s definitely a connection. Growing up around Manchester, you realise how passionate people in the North West are about live music, and Blackpool has that same energy. It’s great to see more big live music happening here and hopefully we can play a small part in that.”

We Are Scientists, the American indie-rockers formed in Berkeley, California, brought a distinctly transatlantic twist to the Winter Gardens, combining sharp indie-rock hooks, humour and infectious energy.

Their presence also underlined the growing reach of Blackpool Live, attracting an act whose career has crossed the Atlantic while remaining particularly popular with British audiences. Their hits Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt, After Hours and The Great Escape inevitably received the greatest crowd appreciation.

Then The Enemy took centre stage, delivering songs that have become woven into the lives of their audience. Away From Here, You’re Not Alone and We’ll Live and Die in These Towns turned the Winter Gardens into a celebration of shared experiences, belonging and the places that shape us.

And perhaps that is the biggest achievement after three events: Blackpool Live no longer feels like a new idea waiting to prove itself. It’s beginning to feel established – a new live music identity taking hold in Blackpool, with four more events still to come.