Suede have nothing left to prove. This was a sold out show at the Olympia, a venue they know well in a city that has embraced them since their first record. The audience was rabid, and that suited Brett Anderson just fine. Anderson makes no apologies for playing the role of the rock frontman to the hilt, goading the crowd into singing louder, jumping higher and dancing like maniacs. Whether commanding the stage or plunging into the audience, he remains one of the most captivating performers of his generation. Age has not slowed him down, and it certainly has not dulled the emotional charge of classics like "Metal Mickey," "Animal Nitrate" or an acoustic rendition of "The Wild Ones" played by just Anderson and guitarist Richard Oakes.
The crowd proved just as enthusiastic for newer material such as "Trance State," "Dancing with the Europeans" from their stellar new album Antidepressants or "Personality Disorder" from the equally excellent 2022 album Autofiction. Having found their identity early on, Suede have spent decades carving away at the same block of marble, refining their sound, adjusting its contours to the mood of the times while always remaining unmistakably themselves. Over thirty five years they have not released a bad album, and by all appearances they have not played a bad show either.
Nights like this are a reminder of what live music can do when everything aligns. The band, the crowd and the songs lock together, and for a couple of hours the whole room moves as a single organism. Anderson calls it Suede World, and having to leave it behind after the show was over was bittersweet.
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