Throwback to the Southbank: When Your Bucket List Turns Into Unexpected Magic

Suede with Paraorchestra & Charles Hazlewood was the last event of the Southbank Takeover. One that had been on Veerle Van den Broeck's bucket list ever since Death Songbook. Was it what she expected? No. Was it one of the best gigs she’s attended? Yes! Did she have thoughts about the setlist in hindsight? Maybe...

Yes, We Are A Rock Band

Meanwhile on my bucketlist: Suede with an orchestra ✅

My dream line-up (Night Thoughts before the break and The Blue Hour after) sadly didn’t make the cut. Instead She — full-blown rock approach — starts off the evening. Damn, this wasn’t what I expected, but I’m all in.

Neil doesn’t have a proper piano — another surprise — but Mat’s hips sway, as ever. Simon’s drums cut through the air, sharp and alive, and I find myself drumming along with my neighbour. By the end, the Paraorchestra gets its first moment to shine.

Passion everywhere

Everything flows. It’s such a joy to see Charles Hazelwood’s passion while conducting. Getting the Paraorchestra on board was a stroke of genius, as Dancing with the Europeans proves. They turn two songs I’ve never been fond of into moments that make me dance in my seat.

We’re treated to another acoustic rendition of The Wild Ones. With a proper guitarist at last — thank you, Richard — Brett has the freedom to pour his heart into the vocals. It’s the most beautiful live version I’ve ever heard, even if the crowd passionately sings out of key. What follows is a sublime Life is Golden. The synergy between Suede and the Paraorchestra is stunning.

Big mistake and tears

OMG: Dawn Chorus. “A song that should have been on Bloodsports. It was a big mistake,” Brett tells the crowd. Oh yes, it was.

The streak of perfection continues with June Rain. The last time I had a proper cry at a concert was during Sophia’s So Slow at Pukkelpop in 2001. When Simon’s drums kick in, the floodgates open. When the orchestra joins, I can barely sing. “In the hospital you can sit with me, we'll watch the hours go.” A reality a week later — one I somehow knew was coming.

Breathtaking brilliance

Sleeping Pills is another treat. Brett’s vocals are absolutely on point tonight. Then the Paraorchestra takes centre stage for a breathtaking instrumental version of The Invisibles, proving why The Blue Hour is Suede’s finest moment and highlighting the brilliance of Neil and Richard’s songwriting.

Mat’s bass at the start of Indian Strings feels like the warm blanket I need. As the orchestra swells, it’s instantly clear: this song was made for this setting. The flutes are exceptional on this one!

Pied Piper of Hamelin

She Still Leads Me On has us clapping, cheering, screaming along. Brett can no longer contain his fear of abandonment — the front row is, after all, a whole metre away — and like a modern-day Pied Piper of Hamelin, he lures us closer.

We can do nothing but obey. The Southbank staff, I suspect, are still recovering from the shock.

Pure joy

Pantomime Horse is pure joy, followed by Sometimes I’ll Float Away. A brief silence before “I can’t count the times I forgot my lines” confuses the crowd. The 2 of Us is beautifully executed.

Then The Only Way I Can Love You — a nice take on a song I usually skip. Mister Anderson insists it’s possibly the best track on Autofiction (but we all know it’s Shadow Self, don't we).

Dazzling guitar work

Somewhere Between an Atom and a Star — my instant Antidepressants favourite — is hauntingly beautiful. I lose my voice afterwards, carried away by my own screaming.

Aah, Flytipping. Always a favourite, as the music gets to shine: Richard’s dazzling guitar work and a sublime passage from the Paraorchestra, with Neil on backing vocals. And yes, there’s dust in my eyes again.

A Perfect Still Life

Trash is the beautiful one tonight: a glorious, acoustic, orchestral singalong. Such an astonishing new rendition of our song, as Brett calls it, and that’s exactly how it feels.

Then Still Life. I missed the band when Brett performed it during Death Songbook. This version is simply magnificent. The crowd adores it, Brett smiles, and it’s all picture-perfect — right down to that rock Bolero ending.

Because what a night

Because the night is the perfect cover song to end this concert. Because what a night. Not a single Night Thoughts track, though. Perhaps Suede were in that familiar “defy expectations” mood. Still, I missed those songs, as well as All the Wild Places and As One — rarely played gems that would have fit perfectly tonight.

Yet this was Suede at their best: raw, elegant, and utterly spellbinding. Pure goosebumps and emotion from start to finish. I was just mesmerised. A night that will stay with me for a very long time.