Senior Social News reporter Danielle Wroe was lucky enough to go and see the Sugababes when they performed in Manchester at the Co-Op Live; and if you’re at Brighton Pride this weekend, she explains why you need to catch their set
Sugababes are set to headline the amazing Brighton Pride this weekend (Sunday, August 3), and in a time when nostalgia is really having a moment, I couldn’t recommend that you go and see them more. What’s more, Sugababes’ music is uplifting and empowering to the LGBTQ+ community, with themes such as empowerment, self-expression, and resilience present in most of their bangers.
Brighton Pride is an annual LGBTQ+ festival and parade held in Brighton, England. It is one of the largest and most popular Pride events in the United Kingdom, attracting thousands of visitors each year. The celebration typically includes a vibrant parade through the city, live music performances, community events, and a festival in Preston Park.
I was lucky enough to go and see them perform at the Co-Op Live in Manchester, and they provided fun and major nostalgia in spades. Yes, they may not be as slick with choreography, but what they lack in jumping around the stage, they more than make up for in vocal prowess.
When Sugababes burst onto the scene, I was barely walking and talking. But their music became such an iconic cornerstone of the crop tops, baseball caps, and dresses with jeans era, that my friends and I adored them as we made our way through primary school.
I remember when ‘About You Now’ was released, and I downloaded it on my pink flip Nokia. That’s what the Sugababes represent to me: pure nostalgia, good vibes, and no negativity.
Luckily I was able to see Sugababes live recently at their Manchester show back in April, and if their Brighton Pride performance is anything like this one, you’re in for a real treat:
At the Manchester’s Co-op Live show, Sugababes took to the stage, and the crowd roared as the original three-piece band, consisting of Mutya Buena, Keisha Buchanan, and Siobhán Donaghy, performed their first song.
They’ve always been way more known for their vocal skills than their showiness on stage, and their singing was pitch-perfect throughout the whole show.
There were songs like ‘Hole in the Head’ and ‘Red Dress,’ and people were remembering the lyrics from compartments of their brains they thought were closed off from years and years ago.
The audience participation was so fun, so in Brighton I’m sure you’re going to be in for an even bigger treat, and Keisha even joked that they were singing live as Mutya needed a drink so she could perform to the best of her ability.
Being surrounded by people who know every single song is such a privilege, and I think Sugababes fans will be out in force this weekend in Brighton.
When I saw them in Manchester, however, the woman next to me did shout, ‘Play push the button and right round’ impatiently, showing some were there for the big bangers only.
Of course, as with every good gig, the artist will save the best until last, which I assume they will do again in Brighton, and the evening ended with their best singles, ‘About You Now’ and ‘Push the Button’, which everyone will know and scream at the top of their lungs.
Let’s be real, most people at Brighton Pride will be OG fans, having downloaded the MP3 files of early Sugababes songs, desperately writing down the lyrics to learn them.
We all pretended to be in a girl band at playtime, so if you’re going to Brighton Pride this weekend, go live out your best girl band dreams.