Sugababes live in London review: Iconic girl group’s first arena tour brings career-spanning pop nostalgia
On their first ever arena tour, Sugababes show why their excellent pop always belonged in rooms this big.
By Ben Jolley
It might have taken Sugababes 25 years to get to the point of heading out on an arena tour, but judging by the dedication of their 02 audience last night, the iconic British girl group’s songs have stood the test of time.
With the original trio of Siobhan Donaghy, Mutya Buena and Keisha Buchanan having reunited in 2019 and become unlikely club favourites (including headlining a False Idols party at Drumsheds), they have since shut down their Glastonbury stage twice and performed to record-breaking crowds at major festivals across Europe.
Considering the clearly high demand, it’s surprising that tickets for the London leg of their first ever arena tour were offered on a two-for-one basis just last week.
Nonetheless, the arena is full and, following the hedonistic Kylie-meets-Charli club-pop energy of support act Rose Gray, Sugababes go on to deliver a career-spanning show mix of their greatest hits, deeper cuts from across their back catalogue – and even a cover (Sweet Female Attitude’s ‘Flowers’).
For the most part, it‘s a night (or 80 minutes) of wall-to-wall bangers. It’s easy to forget just how many bangers they have in their arsenal but, whipping through ‘Overload’, ‘Hole in the Head’, ‘In The Middle’ and ‘Red Dress’ within the first 15 minutes (the later is paired with empowering messages like “dress to express, not impress” and “less objectification, more liberation” in tabloid font), it’s clear that there is no shortage.
Vocally, their runs and riffs sound great, especially when they harmonise together, like on the TLC-esque ‘Shape’; their live band, meanwhile, add extra oomph to the show.
It’s also worth noting that everyone remains up on their feet throughout the entire concert – even during softer moments, like anti-bullying anthem ‘Ugly’, which has everyone signing along (and reading the key words on screen) as a giant disco ball lights up the arena.
In fact, the only slight lull is their freshly-released single ‘Weeds’ which, somewhere between Massive Attack and fka Twigs, brings the mood down a little. Their other recent single , Jungle’, fares better later on, however, perhaps because of how catchy its chorus is; a timely release post-Padam which ends with the group in a Charlie’s Angels style pose.
Throwing things back to, as Keisha puts it, the “raw and real” songs that “introduced us to the world as teenagers”, their early music videos and archive rehearsal footage serve as a time capsule; in a nice touch, a camcorder-style filter depicts the contrasting decades.
Sticking with this theme of times gone by, transition photos from their younger days to now play alongside voice messages – all serving to fill a costume change gap.
Returning to the end of the platform in their rave gear, ‘Round Round’ is served with a dance break and neon green strobes. ‘Freaks’ and ‘Push The Button’ come in quick succession and, before final song ‘About You Now’ – which has groups of mates frantically jumping together as if they are at a pop-punk gig – the trio stand and take in the cheering adoration.
“Don’t bring us to tears, we feel so much love from you guys,” Keisha gushes as she thanks the audience and recognises “the times we’re living in”. With confetti raining down while the trio lead one final a Capella with the audience, there’s no denying Sugababes’ status as one of the UK’s greatest girl groups.