1,428 SUDS, Soot Sprite, Hamburger, Bristol Louisiana, Friday 6th February 2026

 

Back on it the night after saying farewell to a beloved shoegaze/ dreampop combo in Mew, but this time out to see a band with a broadly similar sonic template, who might just be around on my “Dance Card” for a few years yet…! Logan and I had crossed swords with Norfolk’s Suds just the once before, their impressive set supporting Spanish Love Songs in Southampton in 2024 (gig 1,312) prompting comparisons with early 90’s faves Madder Rose with their blend of pastoral slow-burn ethereal stuff and more frantic, harder-edged pacey numbers, underlined on debut album “The Great Undergrowth”. Last years’ sophomore effort “Tell Me About Your Day Again” was however a more cohesive effort, a more defined shimmery dreampop sound overlaid with some well-constructed and brain-hugging tuneage, thrusting it comfortably into my Top Ten albums of 2025, and prompting me to book for the Bristol stop on their headlining tour.

I couldn’t persuade Logan to join me, however, so it was a solo trip down the M4, parking up opposite and heading in just as openers Hamburger were taking to the tiny upstairs room stage. Their set veered between quiet, slow burn introspection and more upbeat, C86 influenced jangle pop, the band’s set neatly alternating between these 2 styles! I particularly liked “Punk Rock Star”, an early faster number, and their final number, a breezy Razorcuts-esque indie gallop with ringing choral guitar licks and a “woah-oh” hook delivered in the vocalist’s distinctive falsetto. A work in progress, sure, but a pleasantly promising start. 

Took a break outside and had a chat with Suds’ imposing but friendly bass man Harry Mitchell, prompted by my overhearing that the band were staying in Swindon tonight! Back upstairs for 8.30, as main support Soot Sprite were kicking into their driving, upbeat 90’s post-grunge-tinged opener “Surprise Guilty Party”, vocalist Elise Cook already giving it full beans with a strident and powerful vocal. “All My Friends”, next up, ploughed a similar furrow, albeit in a more morose, brooding manner, and so far the set was developing nicely into a power-chord driven 90’s homage. However, “Doomed” stripped back the noise, revealing a splendid yearning and melancholy choon with a soaring chorus, the subsequent “Wield Your Hope Like A Weapon” continuing this mood, again powered  by a slightly atonal yet punchy vocal from Elise. A new guitar band with more than one string to their bow, then, Soot Sprite impressed with both their varied sonic template but also, and more importantly, with some hooky choral tuneage. I’m all about the tunes, me…

Took a step forward from my house right spot, pitching up front and centre (and prompting Soot Sprite bassist Sean Mariner to comment during our later conversation, “I saw you [do that] and thought, this guy’s going to have a good time tonight…!”) for Suds’ arrival at 9.20 in front of a full room. “We’re Suds,” announced diminutive vocalist Mae Carter, “this is our favourite city to play in!”, powering into breathless, driving opener “Paint My Body”. “Until I’m Fine”, a more angular, hazy and pastoral number touching on dreampop, followed, with bassist Harry, already working up a sweat for his art (good man!) subsequently admitting he’d nicked his stage towel from his house, so was glad his mum wasn’t here tonight! 

Veering between their various styles with effortless ease, Suds tonight delivered a splendid and captivating set where you didn’t really know what to expect next, a neat trick for a young band only on their 2nd album. “Made You Grow”’s undulating riff underpinned a dual harmony-powered pacey blast; drummer Jack Ames stepped forward for a lovely hushed duet with Mae for “Holding On”; “Heavy In The Air” was a breathless blast recalling Madder Rose’s “Live Forever”; and after 5^th member Pedro was introduced later in the set, “The Great Undergrowth” was a melodic strumalong rocker.

However, closer “Terrible Thing” was the highlight of the set for me; their “Killing Moon” or “Car Song”, its’ stately and relentless march built to a widescreen octave-straddling brain-hugger of a choral outro. A great way to end a splendid set from a band destined to become a fixture on my Dance Card. A quick (and aforementioned) chat with Soot Sprite drummer Sean saw him write me out a list (chap!), then I chatted briefly with the Suds folk, collecting scribbles on their list in the process. On my way home shortly thereafter, challenging Harry to a race back to Swindon in the process! Back about 11.30. So, fears during the day that tonight’s gig might be a case of “After The Lord Mayor’s Show”, following last night’s stellar Mew gig, were well and truly allayed. A couple of excellent performances from Soot Sprite and the very fine Suds!

1,312 SPANISH LOVE SONGS, Heart Attack Man, Suds, Southampton Engine Rooms, Saturday 13th January 2024

 

Another late call, this… after a couple of thrillingly visceral performances from LA emo rabble Spanish Love Songs immediately pre-Covid, both in support of kindred spirits The Menzingers (gig 1,173) and in their own right (gig 1,136), I was always up for more, so happily (and quickly, before it sold out!) booked tix for the Bristol Fleece leg of this January UK jaunt, in support of their 4^th album, last year’s “No Joy”. Whilst continuing the lyrical themes of introverted self-examination and trying to make sense of adult life in this fucked-up world, they’ve toned down the guitar onslaught a few (hundred?) notches on this release, revealing some excellent, almost acoustic-powered, galloping melody. One of my faves of the year, and I was looking forward to seeing how this more muted approach would reconcile with their bludgeoning behemoth “live” alter-ego, so I was gutted that my impending knee op was rescheduled for that very Bristol date! Bah! Luckily, the Southampton date fell prior to this (indeed, it’s the opening date on the tour…), a few late tix were released, so I booked late on. And, after playing a bit of “No Joy” in the car, my son and Menzingers fan Logan decided he was up for some Saturday night South Coast rock as well!

 So we Hit the road about 5.30, being held up by stationary traffic on the M4 but eventually clearing it and parking up in the massive – and cheap at £2! – nearby multi storey at 20 past 7. Just enough time to wander round to this weird industrial estate-located tin shed venue and grab a centre spot a couple of rows back for openers Suds, prompt at 7.30. I’d heard good reports about this new Norfolk band and was not to be disappointed; opener “A Terrible Thing” sashayed in with a pastoral Americana mood and some wistful tones from vocalist Maisie Carter, which was then overlaid by some heavy grungy guitar work, giving me immediate Madder Rose “Car Song” vibes. “Paint My Body” was more upbeat with some groovy 2-part harmonies, again recalling Mary Lorson’s charges in their more frantic moments, and a later “Hard For Me”, apparently about Great Yarmouth pleasure beach (!), delved into lilting Alvvays territory. A couple more upbeat numbers, including the rapid, rampant and eminently hooky closer “Freckle”, rounded off a fine opening set from a very promising young band – who, rather predictably when I challenged them about it at the merch stand, had never heard of Madder Rose!

 Grabbed the Suds list from their affable bassist, to happily find it was scribbled on the back of Spanish Love Songs’ list! A two’fer; nice! Main support Heart Attack Man were up in short order, the black-clad band bounding enthusiastically onstage and ripping into a set of energetic if formulaic So Cal pop-punk which would have been more apt for a Bowling For Soup support slot. Some chunky Weezer soundalike numbers as well, and one mid-set number, Old Enough To Die”, which was a dead ringer for Jimmy Eat World’s “Authority Song”, but otherwise not really much for me. Still, there was a frenzied young moshpit behind us throughout, especially going nuts during the shouty “Like A Kennedy”, so what do I know, eh?

 Logan had grabbed a barrier spot by now, so we chatted with our front row colleagues before the imposing monolith that is Spanish Love Songs mainman Dylan Slocum led his charges on at 9.30, easing into the slow burn build of opener “I’m Gonna Miss Everything”, the hook lustily sung back by the devoted. As I’d expected (and hoped), the heavy guitars were indeed pared back, exposing both the melody and intricate confessional lyricism of the new material in particular, and bringing Slocum’s yearning and passionate yet commanding vocals to the fore. “Lifers” was earnest and anthemic, and “Losers” a proper 4 to the floor stomper, kicking the gig into proper life.

 

“Holy Moly Southampton! We played this room back in 2020 – nothing bad happened after that!” deadpanned Slocum before the first-pumping roof raiser “Clean Up Crew”, the band then delving back to tumbling, angular oldie “Bellyache” and the frantic, punk rock verse and stadium roar chorus of “The Boy Considers His Haircut”, to the delight of the faithful. Returning to the new album material, Slocum informed us, “a lot of [“No Joy”] was written in the depths of depression when I couldn’t see my friends, so this [being able to play “live” again] is wonderful!”, and this really shone through, the band determined to make up for that lost time and revel in the “live” environment. So much so, unfortunately, that Slocum’s earnest and doubtless very sincere proclamations about how grateful he was/is to the fans here tonight became a little cloying when repeated too often. Mate, we know you love us, please don’t turn into Bono!

 That aside, this was a fine and inclusive performance, capped by a quite brilliant double-whammy of the new albums’ 2 best numbers, “Marvel” and tonight’s highlight, the wonderful, soaring “Haunted”, both expertly delivered despite guitarist/ keyboardist Meredith Van Voert having contrived to put a hole in her acoustic guitar a couple of numbers earlier! This actually worked out for the best, as Van Voert then concentrated on the undulating keyboard melody underpinning these 2 numbers instead.

 We took a wander to the back, then, as my knee was barking at me, grabbing a bar bench spot as Slocum led the band through the 2 “encores” (“just pretend we walked off”), the “California Uber Alles” drumbeat and final skyscraping communal singalong of “Brave Faces Everyone” (also pretty much the only time SLS really hit the heavy riffery tonight) concluding a 1 hour 20 set replete with singalongs and highlights. A quick exit at 11 and inky black drive back up the A34, avoiding the M4 traffic this time and hitting home at 12.30 via Jimmy’s kebabs for a late supper. Despite my concerns about Slocombe’s over-earnestness, this was an excellent Spanish Love Songs “opening night” gig; glad I made sure I caught them on this tour!