Live Review: Future Palace & Venues At The Underworld, Camden, London (10/10/23)

Two of Germany’s brightest alternative metal bands are in the UK for a brief run around the country (London, Sheffield, and Glasgow) as part of a bigger European tour. Yet, the importance of this short stint and this show in London can’t be understated for both Venues and Future Palace.

For the former, it’s their first UK show and their confidence is high at the moment, proven by the fact they play a brand-new song that only has a working title, during their set. Whereas, for the latter, this is their first headline show in the UK and the focus is still very much on their excellent album from 2022 – Run.

In fact, eight of the fourteen tracks Future Palace play come from Run, and absolutely no-one is complaining because that album is immense.

It’s a two-band show tonight, and the Underworld is buzzing for Venues, who take to the stage to headliner-like appreciation. If there was any doubt about their post-hardcore credentials, those are put to bed completely via a blistering showcase of their heavy and melodic energy.

Tracks like Oblivion, Haunted House, Cravings, and the upcoming new single (with a working title of In Your Face!) sound huge. Not many support bands get the pits the size that Venues managed to get here. So impressive are they, that it’s easy to momentarily forget that Future Palace are up next. They’ve not quite blown them off the stage, but they’ve come mighty close and there’s no doubt that they will back in the future headlining this venue.

Venues were awesome, and we can’t wait to see what 2024 holds for them, but there’s no touching Future Palace at the moment. Run has been incredibly successful and it’s great to see the band squeezing as much out of it, before the inevitable next release (hopefully in 2024).

It’s not an album in full show though, and we do have tracks from ‘Escape’ too, as well as a couple of standalone singles, which includes their latest effort, Malphas. A track that is quickly becoming a fan favourite and sounds immense in the live environment.

Talking of sounding immense though. It’s simply staggering that Future Palace can open this show with Defeating Gravity, and it is not the highlight of the entire show. A show that has vocalist Maria Lessing apologising for any dip in quality because she is suffering from a cold, yet had she not mentioned it, no-one would have noticed, so on form is she. In fact, all three members of Future Palace are top form here. Clearly aware of the importance of this show and the fact that London has turned up to pack out the Underworld.

There are no curiosity watchers here, everyone in the venue is madly in love with Future Palace, and show their appreciation through head-banging, singing along loudly, causing carnage in the pit, and just generally moving to everything the band does.

With a setlist that includes the likes of Flames, A World in Tears, Dead Inside, Wounds, Malphas, Paradise, and Sleep Tight, it is impossible to not be infected by the dynamic show Future Palace put on. It’s over far too quickly, but this just means the desire to have Future Palace back is extremely high.

They came and they conquered. London loves Future Palace, and for good reason.