Live Review: Creeper - Academy, Manchester 09/11/2023
To promote their highly anticipated third full-length record Sanguivore, British goth punks Creeper have embarked once again on a tour around their native United Kingdom, hitting bigger and better venues than ever before. In a first for the band, they managed to grab themselves a night of cursed chaos at Manchester’s famous Academy. This would be a show to remember, full of blood, tears, and plenty of macabre theatricality only Creeper could pull off.
Opening the night are Newport newcomers The Nightmares. Having only begun their musical journey together in 2018, to share a stage with the likes of Creeper in such a short time is nothing less than a miracle. However, with the exciting energy and the unique sound they brought to the northwestern venue, they have already proven themselves worthy of such a placement. Bringing their debut record Seance to the masses that is the Creeper fandom - one that from the style of the record, would be the most positively receptive audience for such a release - they took advantage of the support slot to give their all and give the full Nightmares experience. Not being new to the live music side of the scene, they have gained their confidence and learnt how to work the room: with the striking lights, the electrifying melodies, and simply the stage presence they demand at any given moment - this can take an act many album cycles to master, to find the right feel, to express the right kind of energy. But not for The Nightmares. These are old pros with young blood in their veins and youthful skin on their frames. This is the beauty of black magic, and there’s no more appropriate night than this night to light the candles, wish upon the gemstones and embrace the music amongst the surroundings.
With the crowd beginning to warm up and the energy building slowly but surely, the second support was ready to take the stage. And ironically, the crowd were not ready to feast their eyes on this boiler-suited surprise. Enter New Jersey’s latest export, Save Face.
There is some legendary status that New Jersey has earned itself over the decades (a history that Creeper will later dip into during the night), which means any new faces in the scene are going to cause a buzz. Being advertised as a queer-friendly and accepting act, one who has released songs about facing the world as a queer person and feeling targeted, or feeling alone, or being abandoned in this crazy world, this is what makes alternative music shows safe spaces especially for younger attendees. Being brave and bold and most importantly unapologetic is what makes people feel more comfortable to let loose, be free, and nowhere is this more deserved than in a music venue in Manchester with the loudest vocals, the catchiest guitar riffs, and the loudest drum solos. Creeper gaining a fun and representative act such as Save Face for this tour just shows they can walk the walk while talking the talk. No one felt alone, and everyone felt safe to be the best people they can be: themselves.
With what could be labelled the “normal” part of the night over with, it’s time for the room to fill and the people to pay attention. The violet lights are shining, the music is building louder and louder, and before anyone knew it, it was showtime. Enter the tales of Sanguivore.
The show is introduced by Darcia, the apathetic assistant to the band. Giving her final warnings to the crowd, letting people know the show will get gory and gruesome and it’s never too late to turn around and leave, she let the show begin. Such as the Usherette opening the Rocky Horror Show live, Darcia introduces her bosses - begrudgingly - and the roar of applause begins as the curtain drops. The backdrop illuminates. The band come on one by one by one.
This record is where frontman Will Gould is at his most intriguing creatively. He took the inspiration of B-movie horror flicks and the fascination with vampires into his own hands to create the outline of his very own musical production. With everyone in leather and slicked hair, looking like the coolest gang of the underworld, it was as if there was another kind of show taking place. This was not Creeper, just a rock band from England, playing their newest album; this was an undead gathering straight out of Lost Boys, set to the sound of this fusion between the rock operas of the past and the alternative mix-and-match of recent times. To compare, take My Chemical Romance’s iconic performances as The Black Parade, with full production and costumes and everything. There is a barrier between the artist and the art they have created, and for the first time, Creeper have seemed to fully separate these two parties. This is the art performing itself, and it’s nothing short of fantastic.
Bringing an equal mix of Sanguivore and the band’s debut Eternity, In Your Arms, it contrasts greatly to the setlist choices of their past touring cycle. Only including two tracks from Sex, Death & the Infinite Void, being ‘Cyanide’ and ‘Annabelle’, this can be considered fairly controversial. A sizeable portion of Creeper’s fanbase came from their sudden return from hiatus at the end of 2019, leading to the announcement and release of Sex, Death & the Infinite Void, and limiting the tracks performed could have been detrimental to this tour’s success. As Gould says himself on stage however, the band have been making music for almost a decade now and there’s no doubt many faces in the crowd have been by their side and before their stage since day one. It’s recognising that new fans may only want what they know, and what they know will be the newer material.
Nevertheless, this was not an issue. This did not warrant any negative press or comments, and this can be due to a number of factors but there’s one that’s likely to be hitting the nail on the head. The show was too captivating and the song choices worked so well, that no one cared about the lack of Infinite Void representation. These two records worked better side-by-side, and adding the visual appeals of the costumes, the lights, the beautifully formed backdrop, and even the individual members’ actions, it felt perfectly slotted together. No complaints, no disapprovals.
Traditions are still alive ironically within the room with Creeper. This ranges from Hannah Greenwood and Ian J Miles’ team-up for the sombre ballad ‘Crickets’, to the crowd taking the reins and finishing both ‘Down Below’ and ‘Misery’ much to Gould’s uncensored and sugary-sweet joy. The only time Gould let himself corpse completely was to grin and giggle at the dedication and the admiration of every fan standing before him. Very few acts have fanbases this dedicated, this promised to their idols, this tightly knitted to the creators of the music of their hearts. The gratitude from both the fans and the band show that through the red blood stains and the creepy kooky cackles and the lyrics of death and yearning to belong, there is a beating heart and a warm affection being shared. It’s always been there and the way things are looking, it will always be there.
Closing with ‘Cry To Heaven’, one of the earliest cuts released from Sanguivore, it felt like this show had come to its natural and satisfying conclusion. One last hurrah before the curtains are closed and the room is emptied. For moments, it felt like the night was never coming to an end; it could have gone on and on, such as the life of a bloodsucker. Alas, the end arrived, the lights were raised, and the show was over for another night.
Performing in one of their largest-capacity venues ever, and the largest in Manchester alone, it shows that even ten years after the start of their journey, they’re still on the rise. They are still just getting bigger, smarter, cooler, scarier, and much more interesting. Creeper as a band will live forever in the music scene, and Sanguivore as an expression of art will be forever remembered through its performance rather than its recorded origins.
Words by Jo Cosgrove
Photography by Maryleen Guevara
