“We’re going to see the Sugababes anyway” is a common statement on the early Saturday afternoon at Lowlands 2024. And more festival-goers think the same, as evidenced by the crowd that heads to the Alpha well before the start of the performance. There, the exuberant crowd is treated to a setlist full of hits that ooze nostalgia. On stage, Mutya, Keisha and Siobhan prove that their reunion and comeback is legitimate.
Timeless setlist
The British girl group, now a women’s group, is “incredibly happy to perform here”. And the audience, who have taken over both the tent and the entire area around it, are just as happy that the Sugababes are on the Lowlands stage. Although the ladies had their heyday in the 00s, their music is timeless and both young and old dance and sing along exuberantly when hits like ‘Freak Like Me’, ‘Hole in the Head’, ‘Push the Button’ and ‘Round Round’ pass by. Highlight during the performance is the moshpit that forms towards the end of the performance, while ‘About You Now’ reverberates through the speakers.
Although the ladies performed the same setlist as at Glastonbury 2024, it didn’t seem like they had to tick off their list at all. The set was complete, well thought out and a big party for everyone (including themselves) on Saturday afternoon.
Aged like a fine wine
It is unrealistic to say that time has not had an effect on the trio. In this case, for the better. Where in their younger years the ladies often stood on stage like scared deer in a hyperfocus to hit the right notes, this afternoon they look confident, they seek (successfully) interaction with the audience and they are happy to be on the main stage. As if they are aware of where they come from and the bumpy road which they have completed gives them every right to that main stage.
Photo credit: Thomas Heijligers / Festileaks
Convincing singing for a full field
Vocally, the ladies have not lost any of their quality; the harmonies are flawless and impressive, Mutya still hypnotizes the audience with her low R&B sound, while Keisha nails her ad libs with ease and Siobhan makes everyone forget that a large part of the hits were once sung by Heidi. Was the British trio the main reason to buy a Lowlands ticket? Probably not. Was the audience that had gathered happy that they “went to the Sugababes after all”? Most definitely.
What do you think of Lowlands 2024?
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The festivals with the best grades win the Festileaks Festival Awards in September, the audience awards for festivals.
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Lowlands 2024
Location Biddinghuizen, Netherlands
Date August 16-18, 2024
Tickets Completely sold out.
