Creeper Drive a Stake Through the Heart of Portsmouth on Their Sangui-Tour

There’s a particular irony in watching a band so obsessed with death feel this vividly alive. On a cold and windy night in Portsmouth, Creeper didn’t just perform — they resurrected something between chaos and nostalgia.

Before the main ritual began, support act The Howling set the tone with a set that ignited the venue. Feeling like a summoning into a ritual, the band came on stage to enchant and dazzle. Their sound leans into a darker, slightly brooding strain of alt rock. It is less theatrical than Creeper, but not lacking in atmosphere. If you are a fan of My Chemical Romance and can’t wait to see them in the UK, then a warm-up by The Howling will give you that little fix you so desperately need. Their setlist was short but full of bangers, making it feel like the set was building up the same way fog creeps under a locked door. They started off with “Little Promises,” straight into “Incantation” and “Linger,” as well as my personal favourite “New Religion”. As the set ended with “Unholy,” it was clear that The Howling do not just deal in spectacle, but in tension that has the room holding its breath for what is to come.

And then came the headliners. The Sangui-Tour (a title that practically arrives with its own velvet-lined coffin) leans fully into Creeper’s gothic maximalism. As Creeper enter the stage, the crowd is ready to scream their lungs out. It is important to note that Creeper chose all their venues for this tour with extra care; rather than going for the bigger arenas, they chose to go back to their roots in smaller rooms and grassroots venues that support the community. Frontman Will Gould commanded the stage since the first second, announcing that “We are Creeper and we are from hell,” as his voice landed with precision and force. Soon, the riffs and blastbeats were echoing in the room as the show began.

The setlist unfolded like a curated exhumation. Sanguivore material dominates the set, and rightfully so, because the tracks thrive in a live environment. “Mistress of Death” and “Blood Magick” are the perfect tracks to light up the room and bring on the drama. “Headstones” feels like the crowd has fully gotten into the swing of filling in the lyrics everywhere they can, whilst a little throwback to “Sacred Blasphemy” and “The Ballad of Spook and Mercy” receive the ecclesiastical ritual they were designed to do. The whole performance is high drama, pure chaos, haunting melodies and (let’s say) vampiric efficiency. Even the rhythm section is incredibly tight, driving each track forward with steadiness.

A crucial counterbalance is added when Hannah Greenwood takes the stage front and centre. Her vocals are not only impeccable, but they also weave through Will’s like a second narrative thread. Whether that is as backing to tracks like “Lovers Led Astray” or “Black Heaven”, or as the main event during “Razor Wire” and “Parasite”, Hannah is like the star of a vampire cabaret and a jack of all trades. The crowd responds accordingly when each member takes the centre to shine, whether that is for a guitar solo, a drum solo or just for show. Arms rise in the air and the collective voice complements songs such as “More Than Death,” “Further than Forever” and of course the closing masterpiece “Cry to Heaven.” Creeper do not just hold the room, they conduct it like an orchestra, knowing exactly when their fanbase (which we have to mention is exceptionally loyal) will contribute to the chaos and when silence speaks louder than words.

Creeper understand the assignment well when it comes to live performances. There is melodrama, absurdity, velvet-and-blood aesthetic and a refined sense of community that feels almost heart-warming. If The Howling were the bite, Creeper were the blood frenzy, providing a full spectacle that very few bands can match. Energy was high, sanity was gone, and to whoever is still on the fence about going to a Creeper gig in the UK, DO NOT miss it!