Suede Live At Cliffs Pavilion, Southend

Recent reports from Fleetwood Mac's shows at the 02 were of a band keen to promote substandard new material and ignorant audiences who were there purely for nostalgic reasons. Tonight in Southend, the same cannot be said of Suede or Suede's fans.

When Suede returned to the aforementioned 02 in 2010, it was purely for a trip down memory lane. It was an amazing gig for all, but tonight trumped it hands down because of the great new material. After fading away in 2003 many held their breath for anything half decent when 'Bloodsports' came out earlier this year. What they actually got was an album on par with their self-titled début, sitting just behind the majestic 'Dog Man Star' and pop triumph of 'Coming Up' in the pecking order (for us anyway). If 2010 was a year for everyone to remember how good they were, 2013 is a year for everyone to be realise how great they are.

The first song is the beautiful 'Faultlines'. It is an odd choice to open with because of its slow, piano led tempo. Lyrically however, it is a notification to all that they are still the 'litter on the breeze':

'Is it birdsong or is it just the car alarms

Making me feel so young and savage like the dawn?

Celebrate the pale dawn, celebrate the birdsong

Celebrate, this is your time

Although we live in the wreckage and on the faultlines'

Following 'Faultlines' came 'Bloodsports' opening two tracks, 'Barriers' and 'Snowblinds'. If Anderson and Co were worried about the Essex crowd knowing the new tunes (which they most certainly did) they did not show it. Anderson was at his glam- rock best dancing on stage and swinging the microphone aloft as if it were an extension of himself. The band were playing far more aggressively than the reunion tour of 2010, maybe they saw this tour as a war of attrition to win over the loyal fans with their new material. What they didn't bargain for, was their loyal 30 plus fan base to behave like teenagers and to obsess over their new album and show their love for it so passionately.

Hits such as 'Trash', 'Animal Nitrate' and 'Beautiful Ones' succeeded this opening, along with the odd B-side and more new material, all of which went down a storm. Nevertheless, nothing seemed quite as poignant as the first 15mins of this set. Suede gave the alternative a voice in the 90s, particularly to those in the notoriously dull suburbs of Essex. In 2013, they are still carrying the torch, one where the flame burns as big and as bright as ever.