SUEDE

We have just come out of a meeting lasting several hours with Katrien, Director of Human Resources at Lokerse Feesten. The topic: bullying at work and whether it is appropriate to book any perpetrators of such offences for our festival, which likes to present itself as inclusive and modern. The reason for the meeting, we want to be transparent about this, is the British band SUEDE and the reason for the complaint is one of their albums from 1997, called “Sci-Fi Lullabies”. This is a CD that is entirely filled with so-called B-sides. Songs that are not good enough for any other artist in the world to put on a regular record or CD. However, the songs on “Sci-Fi Lullabies” are of such world-class quality that they laugh at the competition, as it were. Yes, laugh at them, i.e. bully them. That kind of thing is a sensitive issue these days.  The decision, however, has now been made: Suede is definitely coming to Lokeren, on Friday 7 August. And we are delighted about that, because the corridors of the Lokerse Feesten offices are filled with the new album ‘Antidepressants’, the best medicine for melancholy that the autumn of 2025 could give us. Suede is hardly a band anymore, it's more of an impressive collection of hits, chart successes and live favourites. For us, those are “Trash”, “Metal Mickey”, “We are the pigs”, “She's in fashion” and “Positivity”. Katrien, Director of Human Resources at Lokerse Feesten, is all for “Filmstar” and “Stay together”.  'Antidepressants' – a storm of razor-sharp guitars and thunderous drums – contains even more treats that seem tailor-made for a festival crowd. Treats that you'll find mainly in the “Postpunk” section, the third aisle on the left, past the crisps and salted nuts.  'Disintegrate', “Antidepressants”, “The Sound of the Summer” and “Criminal Ways” are, in our opinion, the heavy guitar-coloured miracles that brilliantly compete with their earlier work, but feel free to add five or six more opinions of your own, because this album is truly full of highlights.  The last time Suede played in our country was at the Royal Circus in May 2022. That performance was of such a ridiculously high standard that they practically laughed at the competition. But don't tell Katrien, or we'll have an extra meeting on our hands.