This was the fifth time that I have witnessed Millie Manders and the Shutup live. How good were they this time? I will tell you later, first you need to read about the excellent support acts. As usual Millie herself was in the audience to witness both support acts. First up was Wrex, a band from Brighton that have featured on these pages before (we reviewed their single “Take A Walk” last summer). They hit us with a humongous sonic assault which blew me and the rest of the crowd away, obviously in a good way. They are in possession of some incredibly powerful songs and set closer “Paradise” was definitely a highlight for me. How can they make so much noise with just three people? One of the two singers Mae Seaton at times prowled the stage like a caged lion and then smashed the bars into oblivion with megatons of passion and punk power. I love this band!
Next up it was Sally Pepper who I first saw at this very venue around two years ago. Sally was supposed to be on stage first, but she was delayed thanks to cyclists on the M6 motorway! Anyway thankfully she got to York safely eventually. Sally has gone electric since I last saw her and at this gig she was supported by the uber-talented Harrison Rimmer on drums. This powered up her already ace songs into something even more special, especially “Clickbait”. Sally is not just a talented singer songwriter she is also a supremely skilled and at times very funny raconteur. I bloody loved this set. I need to see Sally play live more often.
Finally it was time for Millie Manders and the Shutup to take the stage. For me they are still one of the best live bands in the UK, and possibly beyond these shores too. Millie is a perfect front woman and her energy, passion and performance never falters. She fires the crowd up beautifully and invites audience participation throughout the set. This heat a peak with the excellent singalong during “Rebound”. On the songs where her vocal borders on spoken I can detect an influence of Scroobius Pip in her words and delivery. There was not a single lull in this awesome set. “Me Too” was incredibly powerful and came with a warning that this kind of shit will not go away soon. The most fiery and electrifying moment for me was “Can I Get Off”. Millie received a rapturous reception when she called for freedom for Palestine, Yemen, Sudan and all oppressed countries. If you have not yet witnessed Millie Manders and the Shutup at a gig then you have to put that right in 2025! There are a few more dates left on the ‘Choose The Bear’ tour.
If you have enjoyed this article, feel free to follow the blog. You can also follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, and Linkedin.
Are you interested in writing and reviewing for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem? If so then please get in touch via EMail.
With Just A Hint Of Mayhem 