The concert of the millennium: The Snuts at the O2 Academy Birmingham

O2 Academy Birmingham, 29 November 2024

Taking a break from the festival circuit during the bleak winter months, The Snuts embark on yet another UK headline tour, making a stop at Birmingham’s very own O2 Academy. The release of their #2-charting third album Millennials oozes teenage angst and nostalgia, clearly resonating with their adoring audience.

The pre-show playlist of Sam Fender, Paramore, Billie Eilish, and Chappell Roan perfectly emulates the music taste of their demographic, providing a rapturous pre-chorus to The Snuts’ jam-packed set.

As if this wasn’t enough, severely underrated support act Siobhán Winifred skips onto the stage, presenting as an indie-rock band infused with the influence of Phoebe Bridgers’ lyricism and Gracie Abrams’ vocals. She dedicates the title track of her EP Don’t Do Well Alone to sufferers of anxiety, the song acting as a vessel for her raw emotions, baring them bravely for all to see. She also performs ‘Stay For Good’, an ode to her fans that were audibly present within the audience. Winifred certainly knows how to get an audience going, fearlessly covering the indie anthem ‘505’ by the Arctic Monkeys and then seamlessly transitioning into Sam Fender’s ‘Getting Started’. Definitely one to look out for.

The audience instantly goes nuts for The Snuts, rapidly parting to form a mosh pit and descending into chaos

Nineties televisions and old-fashioned stereos line the stage along with a singular streetlight, maintaining the millennial aesthetic. Drummer Jordan Mackay, affectionately nicknamed ‘Joko’, launches us headfirst into ‘Millionaires’, the first track on Millennials. Lead vocalist and guitarist Jack Cochrane emerges with tussled hair, wearing Matty Healy-esque sunglasses, his typical trademark. It seemed that the entire indie-rock community were present in full force, ready to be called to action upon the artist’s command. The audience instantly goes nuts for The Snuts, rapidly parting to form a mosh pit and descending into chaos. The Snuts are the masters of call and response, ‘Yoyo’ further exciting the already wild audience.

The first track, ‘Top Deck’, from The Snuts’ first album W.L. marks the start of a well-needed calming acoustic set. Cochrane explains how the track was their last attempt at pursuing a career in the music industry before finally giving up. The track rocketed straight to number one after its release in 2021, to the band’s surprise. ‘Sing for Your Supper’ and ‘Somebody Loves You’ ensure, a throwback to the blueprints of The Snuts’ music.

Yet, the political undertones of their music cannot be ignored; ‘Burn The Empire’ immediately incites anti-Tory chants and roars from the crowd. Back in 2022, the West Lothian band campaigned for the early release of the Burn The Empire album, laced with fury and fire fanned by political unrest. The titular track directly uses audio from one of British politician Tony Benn’s speeches, declaring “we don’t want people to be educated, healthy and confident because they would get out of control”. NME Magazine reports that Cochrane claims the album “is just bonkers all the way through”, setting the tone for the entire record as it serves as a criticism of the political climate. Even two years later, the significance of this album for fans cannot be ignored.

The Snuts did not disappoint, living up to the standards set by their predecessors, and solidifying their legacy as one of our generation’s greatest indie bands

The controversy does not stop here. Cochrane openly locks horns with Rod Stewart onstage, addressing their close competition in the charts. In a recent Instagram post, Stewart thanks his fans for enabling him “to be the proud owner of these five beautiful hybrid sports cars”. Cochrane, enraged by defeat and Stewart’s insensitivity exclaims to the audience “Do you know how many cars we have? F**cking zero!”. The band’s anecdotes and vulnerability ultimately win over the audience, as well as Cochrane’s humour when he claims, “Stewart’s songs are mostly about shagging, so here’s one about toast!”.

The encore, consisting of hits ‘Circles’, ‘Glasgow’, and ‘Gloria’, concludes the set. All in all, the intimate venue of the O2 Academy makes it impossible not to deliver an outstanding concert, a must-visit for an indie music concertgoer. The Snuts did not disappoint, living up to the standards set by their predecessors, and solidifying their legacy as one of our generation’s greatest indie bands.

★★★★