Breaking: suede Announces Four Orchestral Shows at london’s Southbank centre, Marking First performances Since 2002 meltdown Festival
Britpop icons Suede have announced a series of four special shows at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival hall in London, taking place from November 22nd to November 25th, 2023. These performances represent the band’s first at the venue as their participation in David Bowie’s curated Meltdown Festival in June 2002. The November 24th concert will be particularly noteworthy as Suede’s inaugural full orchestral headline performance, a collaboration with the Paraorchestra – a leading British ensemble specializing in orchestral performances with disabled musicians.
Tickets for the shows are available for purchase at Southbank Centre’s website.
The declaration follows the release of Suede’s ninth studio album, ‘Dancing with the Europeans‘, in October 2023, which reached number 9 on the UK Albums Chart. The album features singles “She Still Leads Me On” adn “15 Again.”
Frontman Brett Anderson recently shared his vision for the upcoming concerts, stating, “Expect old songs, new songs, borrowed songs, blue songs, drama, melody, noise, sweat and a couple of surprises.”
in a recent interview with NME, Anderson discussed the importance of stage presence and connection with the audience. He described live performance as creating “the illusion of confidence,” emphasizing the need for performers to project a sense of “magic.” He further elaborated on the dynamic between performer and audience, framing it as a “quasi-religious” experience where the singer embodies a “high priest” and the audience acts as “acolytes,” all united in a shared pursuit of connection and a feeling of something “bigger then any individual.” Anderson noted his increasing skill in “manufacturing that magic” during Suede performances.
Suede initially rose to prominence in the early 1990s as a key band in the Britpop movement, achieving critical and commercial success with albums like Suede (1993) and Dog Man Star (1994). The band consists of brett Anderson (vocals, rhythm guitar), Mat Osman (bass), Richard Oakes (lead guitar), and Simon Gilbert (drums). The Paraorchestra, founded in 1996 by peter Knox, has collaborated with artists including Björk and paul McCartney.
