Suede at Portsmouth Guildhall (31.1.2026) with Bloodworm supporting.
Ahhh Suede. Somehow a band that still look and sound fresh, despite being around for over 30 years. Their first LP surfaced in 1993 and I’ve been with them all the way, as my last Suede blog testifies. The band had a seven year hiatus 2003-10 and the bassist and drummer are still the originals, along with frontman Brett Anderson.
The latest LP, Antidepressants, is a belter. The opening two tracks, Disintegrate and Dancing with the Europeans are in my mind among their top tracks, so when they open with these live, my night is made.
I’m in the balcony and it’s all a bit of a squeeze. Surely the length of my thighs hasn’t increased. In hindsight, downstairs with friends tonight would have been better – knees are behaving and legs resilient – good view mind up here. (More on the venue here in my venue blog).
We were in the large downstairs bar too long and missed most of support band Bloodworm. Another error as the two songs I heard sounded right up my street…dark indie rock/ pop. I will try again.
No camera for me tonight: just my ageing phone. Some choices to be made on that front soon. Portsmouth Guildhall prohibits cameras so I didn’t travel with my trusted pocket zoom. Do I ditch a blog on this one? No. Just a bit different. One of my mates downstairs offered me their pics to use, for which I am most grateful, to enhance the memory (Cheers G).
I took a few with my phone – such as the first few here – but they are not up to much. You get the balcony perspective though. It does hang over the stage nicely.
After the opening wonders, three tracks in all from the latest LP, it’s Trash, just about my top track, from my favoured album, Coming Up. What a start. Brett is already leaping on and off boxes . He’s 58. How can he do this? Beautifully slim of course, which must help but he’s still got it.
With the arrival of Animal Nitrate I’m starting to get concerned that the set might be a bit front ended. Of course it isn’t but very well balanced – no lulls. There is the quieter Life is Golden with Brett singing with just the piano accompanying. Even a brand new song Tribe is greeted with excitement – introduced by Brett referring to the fans as his tribe, or rather the band’s tribe.
Brett ventures down into the pit in front of the stage several times and around the barrier and into the crowd on a few wanders. He doesn’t mind the grabbing hands from the adoring ones – shirt wringing wet with sweat. It is an adoring crowd. A good mix, age and gender wise and a notable lack of idiots.
There is some trademark Anderson mic swinging if course and the microphone lead is an ever present hazard he dices with. The show just wouldn’t be the same with a radio mic.
I was pleased to see as many songs in the set from Coming Up as the new album. Filmstar and the final song, Saturday Night – part of the two song encore – were highlights from that chart topping 1996 LP. All in all an excellent mix of the new and the old in a near perfect set. As I have seen Suede state: this is not just a nostalgia trip.
Best gig of the year so far, indeed since last summer.
Thanks for the pics G 🤝
Gigs with Ivan 