Tonight is my sixth gig in Albert Hall this year, which I think means it tops the venue charts for 2023 so far. Chart topping is something that tonight’s headliners are used to too, although do people really care about the charts these days… no, they don’t. Well maybe new bands do, healthy sales help when you’re starting out, so don’t forget to visit the merch table. I don’t know much about support band Sprints, but they’re certainly worthy of spending some money on. I can tell you they’re Irish and pretty brilliant. Albert Hall is already filling fast as they come on which is great to see and those who’ve got in early are rewarded with just over half an hour of fiery poppy post punk. Guitars are attacked. Drums are attacked. It’s all pretty pacy with songs like ‘Modern Life’ seeing singer Karla go all in. “This is the nicest venue we’ve ever played” they say as a new one ‘Up & Comer’ is introduced. It’s an absolute corker and sounds massive. 'Literary Mind' and the brilliant 'Little Fix' wrap things up and I can’t wait for the impending debut record, Sprints are… limbering up.
So, Suede have a set to follow. Some people are sniffy about Suede aren’t they and might doubt their ability. They’ve always been divisive from day one and maybe if you don’t like Suede, your mind won’t be changed. You’d be wrong, but each to their own. Their latest offering Autofiction is a stunning record, going toe to toe with albums like Bloodsport and perhaps even getting close to the exhilaration of that self titled debut that still sounds magnificent. It’s ‘Turn Off Your Brain and Yell’ from Autofiction that gets us started. Easing us in, before erupting as Brett swaggers on and works the stage. He’s like a pumped up teenager as they barrel through ‘Personality Disorder’ and ‘15 Again’. These songs sound like monsters and the band look cool as fuck. Uniform black, Brett already unbuttoned flicking his fringe around. He’s always been a performer, but the years have softened none of the edge. Up on the monitors orchestrating the masses. He sounds brilliant too. Taking to the crowd for ‘The Drowners’ he’s swamped, but doesn’t miss a note. He’s totally charged and with the ferocious ‘Animal Nitrate’ following it goes mental. Albert Hall on its feet and in full voice. It’s clear they’re here to cement their deserved status as one of Britains best bands. ‘Trash’ keeping the tempo up with Brett falling to his knees and crawling around. Always was a flirt. I’ll be honest there are some Suede records I struggled with and Dogman Star was one, but ‘We Are The Pigs’ has aged well, despite being a little more straight up indie. Things slow down for ‘My Insatiable One’ and the beautiful ‘She’s Not Dead’, lines like “fucking with a slip of a man while the engine ran” still cutting through with gorgeous sleaze. It sounds majestic. Everyone but Brett and Neil scarper for ‘Breakdown’, with just the piano accompanying you can really hear just how good Brett sounds. Its a proper moment. Haunting. It’s the 30 year anniversary to the day of that debut album and these early songs still sound fresh. Pretty impressive. As if to ensure we don’t feel too sedated ‘Moving’ follows, Brett back to bouncing around the stage. I’d forgotten just how fast it is, I really wasn’t expecting this much energy. He’s back out in the crowd as we get up to date with ‘The Only Way I Can Love You’, the die hards down the front lapping it up and singing every word with him. The spotlights reach out as ‘She Leads Me On’ stretches its grandiose wings with the sort of confidence of a song way beyond its years. It’s testament to Suede’s greatness that they can and do still record songs with this sort of power. The darker brooding ‘Shadow Self’ shows they’ve still got range too as we tick past the hour mark and Brett now slick with sweat refuses to let up. “Why do we come to concerts” Brett asks, “To sing together, to be together”. He’s on stage on his own with an acoustic belting out ‘Pantomime Horse’. People are singing but thankfully not too much, hearing Brett like this is just too wonderful. I could listen to more of this but everyone is back for ‘That Boy On the Stage’. It’s another new monster with that stomping rhythm and shrieking guitars. ‘So Young’ is just spellbinding, Brett swinging his mic lead around as the band tear into ‘Metal Mickey’ and then encore with the sublime indie disco banger ‘Beautiful Ones’. They were never dead but they feel reborn and vital. My expectations were high tonight and Suede delivered. If you've caught them on this tour, you'll know just how stunning they are!
