Suede

Touring with the release of their tenth studio album, “Antidepressants”, English rock band Suede played Norwich’s LCR on Tuesday night. The much-anticipated Norwich leg of the tour was a quick sell out, the venue jam packed with fans from all eras of the band’s extensive career. The stage was set for a night of classics intersected with a nuanced version of Suede’s sound from their boundary pushing new album.

Before Suede took the stage, I caught up with their support for the night, gothic-punks from Nottingham, Bloodworm. Now if like me you’re wondering where such a name derives from, I hope this carefree punk-esque answer will suffice: a humerous anecdote that still seemed to make them smile, the boys were seconds before playing one of their first gigs upon realising they hadn’t decided on a band name. ‘Bloodworm’ was born from an iphone notes page of band names, inspired by the bait used in one of their dad’s aquatic shops. And it stuck, prompting this brilliant story to surface almost everywhere they go. Chris and Euan told me of Suede’s unwavering support for their warmup band, noting with real respect that they’re “in the wings for us every night”. We mused over what an awesome start to their career this tour had been, though the band were quick to remind me that it’s not always felt with rockstar ease. “Some nights we’ve been travelling back to Nottingham to sleep, just to save money”. A refreshingly honest insight into a quick rise to stardom from a band with humble roots.  

Suede erupted onto stage with a vitality that well disguised the effects of this show as the halfway point of their tour. What was glaringly obvious was that Anderson still loves performing. Joining them on the ninth leg of this tour, I’d expected a slightly wearier set up. But the frontman’s energy was tangible. Wearing a white shirt and skinny jeans, his attire rather juxtaposed his gritty vocals but certainly didn’t inhibit the reckless abandon of his physicality. Anderson prowled the stage with an enthusiasm that seemed like a well-practiced Bowie attempt.

The new album has seen the band move away somewhat from their roots in Britpop, with the new songs drenched in goth influence. Tracks entitled “Antidepressants” and “Personality Disorder” complicate the band’s catchy 90s hit “Beautiful Ones” somewhat, showing another side to their work. But this shouldn’t be a surprise for a band who have always taken the unconventional root. To me it seemed that Suede have always teetered on the edge of the gothic sound, something they’ve finally given themselves the space to indulge in and it’s an outfit that certainly suits them.

But as a long standing fan of their older work, I have to admit that a standout moment of the night was the electric performance of “Trash”, which Anderson opened by asking the crowd “Norwich, has anyone ever made you feel like rubbish?”, charging the audience into chants that ignited the band’s rendition. In stark contrast to the youthful abandon of this track, Anderson stunned the audience with his hugely vulnerable performance of “The Power”, stripping it back to a piano led ballad that demonstrated the band’s versatility. Anderson threw down his microphone, choosing to sing the chorus totally raw, a feat that heavily deepened the intimacy of the moment, adding a layer of introspection that forces one to ponder the side of rockstar lifestyle that light is rarely shed upon.

Ending their set with an encore of “The Only Way I Can Love You”, Anderson shook the crowd awake from “the dream world of Suede”, promising that we’re “all invited to return very soon.” An awesome night of awesome tunes.