Britpop icons Suede are back with a brand new 17-date UK tour, celebrating the release of their tenth album Antidepressants (which was released in September 2025). Playing iconic venues such as Bristol Beacon, York Barbican, Cambridge Corn Exchange, and Nottingham Rock City, the UK leg of the Antidepressants tour is both intimate and extensive- much to the delight of fans looking for the classic packed-in feel of Suede’s earlier gigs.
While the band have recently played Liverpool’s Camp and Furnace, delivering an intimate Antidepressants album launch show in early September last year, one look at the queue of eager fans outside the Liverpool Student Union delivered a clear enough message that the northern city was eager for more.
From the moment the venue doors opened, the electric feeling of excitement inside the cramped hall was almost static: filled with murmured discussion of potential setlists and previous shows.
Supporting the band was emerging goth-punk outfit Bloodworm, delivering a dark and atmospheric sound to the venue and stunning every single person in the room with their raw and timeless sound. Taking inspiration from icons of the eighties goth scene (such as Bauhaus, The Cure, and Siouxsie and the Banshees), the young Nottingham trio made light work of warming up the venue of just-over 2000 eager fans- appearing to delight Suede frontman Bret Anderson as he spectated from the shadows at the side of the stage.
By the conclusion of Bloodworm’s stunning performance, the venue had effortlessly filled to full capacity, with excited fans buzzing for the main event. The projection of the Antidepressants cover art on the fabric draped behind the stage won over cheers and screams from the front rows, and soon enough, the opening notes of the album’s debut single, ‘Disintegrate’, pounded over the speakers, signalling the start of what was to be a brilliant show.
From the moment the band began to play, it was easy to see how the nineties glam rockers had earned their reputation as one of the most exciting live bands to do it. Not only do the entire band display reams of talent and eclectic musicianship, but the seemingly endless energy offered from frontman Bret Anderson is what truly tied the entire band together. With powerful vocals and rivers of emotion, it is easy to see how Anderson has maintained his position as one of the strongest frontmen of the scene.
Taking the audience’s full attention with them and running with it, the Sussex-born singer leapt straight into another Antidepressants tune: ‘Dancing With The Europeans.’ Written following an enlightening experience of togetherness and positivity when on tour in Europe in 2024, the track was the third single to be released from the 2025 album. While the studio version of the single was met with polarising views by fans, the track is blindingly strong live. Not only does it boast a catchy, anthemic chorus, but Anderson’s integration with the audience made the performance even more special. Almost refusing to stay on the stage for more than a few minutes at a time, Anderson was no stranger to the barrier, taking fans with him on a Euphoric journey throughout.
Finally, it was time for the title track: ‘Antidepressants.’ Kicking off with a moody, bluesy riff, the track is undoubtedly inspired by the early music of the goth scene. The moment the track began, so did the thudding of the entire venue clapping in time with the bassline- 2000 pairs of hands under the almost hypnotic control of the band’s frontman.
With sonic, dissonant guitars, the tune builds up into a high-octane chorus, layered over by the iconic vocals of Anderson. Effortlessly hitting a diverse range of notes, the androgyny of Suede’s music truly complements the moodiness and erratic nature of the lyrics.
Once the thudding drums had come to a halt, Anderson declared that the next track may be unfamiliar to some, commanding the audience to sing along “if (they) know the words.” However, as the twanging guitars of Coming Up anthem ‘Trash’ kicked in, the room erupted in a mixture of excitement and laughter before beginning to sing to the 1996 cult classic.
Keeping to the theme of Suede anthems, next came another highlight of the night: ‘Animal Nitrate.’ Released in 1993 on the band’s debut self-titled record, Suede, the track is yet another high-octane fan favourite, easily riling up the crowd further and somehow surging even more energy throughout the tiny venue.
Suede’s set had fully swung into motion by this point, continuing on with a repertoire of belters both new and old. From Dog Man Star’s alt-rock infused ‘We Are The Pigs’ to Antidepressants’ ‘Somewhere Between An Atom and a Star’, each track was laced with crowdwork and glamour, as well as being wonderfully accompanied by Anderson’s own bursts of dance during solos and instrumentals.
‘Filmstar’ was easily a highlight of the set, sending the entire hall into a surge of screams and cheers as the Coming Up tune blasted from the speakers.
One of the more overlooked albums, however, is Bloodsports, an album that often struggles to find itself featured on the band’s setlists in favour of earlier releases Dog Man Star, Suede, and Coming Up. However, this tour did the 2013 album a great justice with a fantastic rendition of ‘It Starts and Ends with You’, making its way to the final cut. A highlight of the set, this tour excels not only in celebrating the recent release, but also in how the band make room for their earlier post-reunion albums to shine through.
For a moment, the band leapt straight back into the newer, developed sound of Antidepressants, with a performance of deluxe-edition track ‘Tribe’ (of course dedicated to “the insatiable ones”), and a subsequently emotional, stripped back version of gothic ballad ‘June Rain’.
‘She Still Leads Me On’ and ‘Shadow Self’ from 2022’s Autofiction went on to complement each other perfectly, two of the strongest songs of the entire set by far. Bringing the energy straight back up after the raw emotion of ‘June Rain’, this pairing of fast-paced, rock-infused belters made short work of riling up the crowd once more: a final burst of energy which would go on to last the remainder of the set, and lead seamlessly into the thudding intensity of Antidepressants single ‘Trance State’.
The crowd stilled, however, when the rest of the band placed down their instruments and made their way off stage- leaving only the piano with its twinkling melodies and Anderson to sing a stripped-back version of ‘Asphalt World’. The removal of the other instruments from this track only added to the emotional intensity of the Dog Man Star classic, allowing the lyrics to run deep into the minds of the crowd. Reaching the final push, Anderson turned off his microphone, filling the silent room with unfiltered, intense vocals: momentarily stunning the entire room before it erupted into a rapturous applause.
Closing off the set with Suede tracks ‘So Young’ and ‘Metal Mickey’, before offering a relentless performance of 1996’s ‘Beautiful Ones’, the band sauntered off stage with confidence- leaving behind only the static of the amps and the cheering of 2000 eager voices.
Eventually coercing the band back for an encore, the Britpoppers returned once more for a timeless rendition of ‘The Only Way I Can Love You’ – a fan favourite from the 2022 album Autofiction. With Bret Anderson leaping into the crowd, clambering over the barrier, and screaming the lyrics down the microphone, the hall filled for the last time with the delighted cheers of fans both young and old.
As Suede walked off stage for the last time, leaving only the crowded room and pure adrenaline in their wake, it was clear that no one present was going to forget the night any time soon. With overwhelming passion, raw intensity, and unmatched levels of energy, Suede had yet again managed to stun the room. Not only does the Antidepressants tour have a setlist that is nothing short of perfect, but it was clear walking out of the venue that the band had left their mark on the city, leaving fans stunned and eager for more as they made their way down the steps of the venue.
Words by George Connell
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