On the 14th of May at The Rainbow pub in Digbeth, Birmingham, SUE took to the stage to celebrate the release of their latest EP, ‘I Will Dance With Hell So You Can See Heaven’.
Put on by ‘I've Seen Better Promotions’ the event explored the best of Birmingham’s emerging punk scene- from the pop-punkers to the noise-punkers. The Rainbow was pulsing with pounding punk drums and raucous screaming vocals.
Opening up the night were newcomers Talking To Tomorrow. They kicked off the night wonderfully, bundled with nervous, bubbling energy, the outfit supplied the audience with a scatter of original tracks combined with a selection of perfectly chosen covers- including ‘The Kids Aren’t Alright’ by The Offspring and a personal favourite ‘One Step Closer’. The outfit started off slightly jittery, but after a few tracks Talking To Tomorrow, were raring to go and full of intoxicating energy. I was surprised to discover that this performance was actually the band’s first ever gig. Being able to get a mosh going at your first ever gig screams potential and the performance was ultimately, very impressive.
Next up was Veg; weird, wild and wonderful. The band were one of the big highlights of the night. One of Birmingham’s ones to watch, Veg fired up the crowd, and demanded a mosh.
Lead singer, Sky was covered in sweat, curly hair flying everywhere and yet she appeared so natural and relaxed on stage. Full of confidence, the outfit’s set flew by seamlessly, with only a short interval in which the band members proceeded to snack on bananas. Don’t
worry, the crowd didn’t miss out. Bananas were also handed out through the crowd and eventually threw out into the circle pit. While I can comprehend that bananas are a good supplier of energy mid gig, it only seems appropriate that Veg would have been snacking on something more suited like a carrot, or perhaps broccoli. A favourite of the set had to be ‘Lesbian Moshpit’, a track written by artist and songwriter, Loxz. Undeniably, this song was an all-round crowd pleaser.
The final support, ahead of the main act, was Time Of The Mouth. The pop-punkers of the night, bringing all the head-bopping energy. Time Of The Mouth brought home the vibes of the early 2000’s pop-punk scene. Having been working together for around 10 years, the band was perhaps one of the most established of the night, approaching their set assured and confident.
Now, the main event: SUE.
SUE released their EP, ‘I Will Dance With Hell So You Can See Heaven’, on the 13th of May, their performance appeared to be the perfect celebration for the new record. Whilst waiting for the band to make their appearance on stage, there seemed to be a quiet anticipation looming over the room, a certain unease and wondering of what to expect.
SUE initially teased the crowd with the intro to their EP. The otherworldly, demonic sounds of ‘Hell’ tormented the room, until finally SUE broke into their opening track ‘I Will Dance’. A strong opener, and a favourite of the night, ‘I Will Dance’ forced movement from the audience and prepped them for a night of SUE specials. The band treated the crowd to the entirety of ‘I Will Dance With Hell So You Can See Heaven’, with a seamless flow and a desperate necessity for the EP to be heard in it’s live, real, and raw state.
In a previous interview, when asked what to expect from the gig, I was warned ‘Screaming to be expected’. SUE did not disappoint, as the basement venue was flooded with the promised screams of lead vocalist, Elliot Stone. Bass and backing vocals were supplied by Adam Webster, whilst driving drums were provided by stand in drummer Ethan. SUE honoured the EP, displaying it in its full natural glory, while accentuating their appreciation for live performances.
Throughout the entirety of SUE’s set, the band possessed an aroma of mystery, a subtle darkness, and an unwillingness to give too much away. Upon the end of their set, the band bustled off stage, without a word about their EP but just the assured confidence that they did ‘I Will Dance With Hell So You Can See Heaven’ justice.
You can also listen and find out more about Talking To Tomorrow, Veg, and Time Of The Mouth.
Photos all taken by Kristina Benova.
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