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Blossoms to pay touching tribute to Viola Beach at upcoming gigs they were due to support

The BBC Sound of 2015 runners-up will play a full audio recording of their set ahead of the show

Jacob Stolworthy
Friday 19 February 2016 12:01 GMT
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Viola Beach, from left: Jack Dakin, River Reeves, Kris Leonard and Tomas Lowe
Viola Beach, from left: Jack Dakin, River Reeves, Kris Leonard and Tomas Lowe (BBC)

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British rising stars Blossoms are to pay a touching tribute to Viola Beach, the indie band that died tragically in a car accident last weekend.

Viola Beach were touring in Sweden when their car was driven off a bridge and into a canal, killing all four members as well as their manager.

The band were due to support BBC Sound of 2015 runners-up Blossoms for a selection of their upcoming UK shows. Fittingly, the Manchester band, fronted by Tom Ogden, have announced that they will honour them at these gigs.

Blossoms posted a note to their social media channels expressing how they invited them on tour upon meeting them in Glasgow last October.

"They were a great gang and a brilliant band," they wrote. "The last time we saw them was after the Leamington Spa show last Thursday. We said our goodbyes to them as they headed off to Sweden."

Blossoms went on to announce their touching plans to honour the band.

"...on every date they were due to join us on, we will mark their slot by playing a full audio recording of their set that was recorded from the Leamington Spa show.

"If you're coming to the gigs, get down early and celebrate their lives with an outpouring of love."

Viola Beach were comprised of Kris Leonard, River Reeves, Tomas Lowe and Jack Dakin. It is still unknown what caused the accident.

If you'd like to honour them, here is a list of Blossoms' upcoming live shows.

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