Millie Manders And The Shutup – Live in Newcastle

We are in Newcastle on a rainy Wednesday night in October to see (not the Football that’s on at some over rated venue somewhere in the Toon), but to see the much better, and rather than being sponsored by blood money a supporter of anti blood sport organisations, Millie Manders & The Shut Up along with a new band to me from Sheffield, Air Drawn Dagger.

We are greeted at the door to The Cluny venue with a sign that reads “Millie Manders & The Shut Up, No Ableism, No Ageism, No Fascism, No Homophobia, No Racism, No Sexism, No Transphobia”, definitely at the right place then, and even before the door opens, the place is filling and the demographic for this band is most heartwarmingly and evidently as wide and inclusive as the sign asks for. We head straight for the merch desk at which stands Millie herself, always eager to meet and greet her fans in person, a trait that you know is not just born out of a need to sell, it’s 100% a need to connect, knowing so many of your fans by name is a dead give away as to the real motivation behind being right there.

A few beers in and a catch up with many friends old and new, who are all there for the same unwavering reason, to support the live music scene, and after a little wait, (apparently the support band got a little lost on the way to the venue), Air Drawn Dagger to take to the stage and the crowd is well up for this!, an almost full room for the first band is a great thing to see too.  As we had not seen or even had the chance to hear this band before tonight, the songs were never going to be fully understood nor would we truly know what style we were in for, so first two songs you might have been forgiven for thinking about Gwen Stefani in her Harajuku stage, but this wasn’t to last too long, the three piece soon gave their true colours, lead singer Maisie was a presence that could not be ignored, jumping off stage and getting in amongst the audience gave everyone the full immersion experience, her vocal aired on the side of Paramore/As December Falls and the Emo that the bands name alluded to (Macbeth) was laid bare for all to see. If I was to be at all critical, and this was from a personal point of view (music is and always should be personal), the addition of a bass or rhythm guitar may have taken the sound to a much more powerful place, yet they still did enough for the audience to feel throughly happy to have been there for them.  

In-between bands it was time to check back in at the bar, then have a little chat with the wonderful pair from the Hunt Saboteurs Association who have been invited to be at all of Millie’s gigs on this tour, some merch purchased from their stall and support given, we also wanted to get hold of some of Millie’s own personally made fox bandana’s (all proceeds to the cause), sadly, or from another perspective, wonderfully ‘sold out’. 

Now its time for the main event of the night and being so caught up in chatting with some of the most wonderful people around the room, I suddenly realised I was going to have to manoeuvre myself through a crowd that packed out the whole front of stage area, but being that these are a like minded group of beautiful people, they were all so very happy for me as a very consciously not wanting to spoil peoples enjoyment photographer to make my way to front of stage and even to the point that an amazingly wonderful young couple actually gave me their spot. Then the first notes of ‘Shut Your Mouth’ hit the room and the place goes off it, from song one, every single member of the band Joe on Guitar, Georgina on Bass, Pete on Drums and of course Millie are absolutely committed and up for it, it shows in every word and note how this is a band that love doing what they do together and it rubs off on the audience, no fair-weather friends in this crowd I’d say. 

MMATSU have been around for around 8 years now, and I personally have seen them live more times than I can count, but this is a band that always play with their heart and soul and the songs have meaning and a connection that we all know and understand, ‘Bacchus’ with its party “you have another drink” chorus, also has a deeper meaning that hits a note for some of the crowd, ‘Poor Mans Show’ is brimming with hard political and anti-monarchist truth’s that this audience have no problems with understanding, then we go straight into ‘Right To Life’ a song with a meaning that we as human beings should and must feel empathy with. From every single song there is something for each and everyone in the audience to take something from, the sweat is now rolling down the brow of every single person and the love for the music is tangible, these songs from the oldest like ‘Obsession Transgression’ or the more recent like ‘Rebound’ just keep coming and the energy never drops one iota, in fact it increases as the minutes go by. 

As Millie says and the crowd agree’s, no subject should be off limits, we need to talk and learn.  

The encore that isn’t an encore brings this night to an end that just comes far to quickly, ‘Your Story’, ‘Glitter Mix’ (a sad but beautiful song) and the brutally honest ‘Not OK’.

Its hard to describe in words as to how a Millie Manders & The Shutup show touches each and every soul that attends, I’ve tried here, but the truth is, you really need to go see for yourself, the health warning that comes with this review is, “be fully prepared to leave a MMATSU gig, with an enlarged heart”.

Words by Myself and Jacqui Cartwright, photos by Myself.

Full Photo gallery for Air Drawn Dagger HERE

Full Millie Manders & The Shutup Gallery HERE