The London Palladium is right in the city centre, and it is a fabulous old-school venue, which makes it the absolute ideal place to play host to a fabulous old-school musician, the queen of rock ‘n’ roll herself, Suzi Quatro.
Suzi Quatro
The London Palladium – 15 April 2026
Words: Mark Rotherham
Photography: Manuela Langotsch
If anyone there this night was expecting the distraction of a support band, they were in for a surprise. The night’s entertainment comprised a complete Suzi Q package of two sets, showcasing a montage of her musical career, both as a solo artist and including some of her many collaborations.
Whatever slice of Suzi’s extensive career most floats your musical boat, seeing her live will always tick the specific Quatro timebox that works most for you.
Suzi strode onstage like she was absolutely born to be there, soaking up the applause, clad from head to toe in denim blue boots, jeans and sparkly blue glam-jacket. Even her signature bass guitar was colour-coordinated: blue.
But she did not come alone. Backing her up were no less than eight, yes, eight supporting musicians. One keyboard player, two backing vocalists, a drummer, three horns and a guitarist. They wore black, she wore blue, but ever the twain most certainly did meet.
Suzi Quatro’s live shows, and I have now been lucky enough to see two, are an addictive mix of well-rehearsed professional musicianship and good old entertainment. When one overshadows the other, it can appear either chaotic or sterile, but when you get the mix just right, then you are in for a great night.
And believe me, Suzi Quatro knows her craft. She absolutely nailed it.
Suzi absolutely powered through the first four songs without pausing for breath, before then teasing the audience, telling them she needs a man for the next song, then launching into Mama’s Boy.
The pared back stage was very clearly marked out with the keys, singers, drummer and horns’ places precisely set, but it did not mean they had to stay there. The sax player, especially, took centre stage from time to time and sparred with Suzi for the spotlight.
Rightly proud of her music, Suzi gave a brief history of each song on the setlist before then playing them, all done with a dash of humour, as often as not aimed at herself. And thanks to that, I for one came away knowing more about Suzi’s back catalogue than I did at the start of the show.
In particular, Stumblin’ In. I had to hold my hands up and admit that I had no idea the 2023 version was a cover of Suzi’s original. As they say, every day, and night it seems, is a school day.
Suzi Quatro herself is also no stranger to covering songs that appeal to her style, and the second one of the night, Rockin’ In The Free World, really raised the roof, with the backing vocalists throwing the devil’s horns and lending a real visual edge to the music.
The first set ended on an emotional, poignant tone, with Can I Be Your Girl, a very personal tribute to Suzi’s departed parents. Alone on the stage and sitting at the keyboards, this was Suzi Quatro’s heart on display, sharing herself with the audience, and leaving very few dry eyes in the house.
The second set saw Suzi back onstage in her trademark black leather jumpsuit, along with a diabolically black bass guitar. “I’m seventy-five years old,” she announces with pride. “And I can still do this.”
Then she turned around and shook her leather-clad buns at the crowd, to unanimous cheers. There really are not too many places where a seventy-five-year-old woman in a leather jumpsuit and bass guitar can look utterly right, but when you are Suzi Quatro, you can absolutely make it work.
After a first set of established songs dusted off and thrown around the venue like sonic hand grenades, the first two songs from the second set, Freedom and Little Miss Lovely, are taken from Suzi’s latest album, Freedom, before being taken again on a journey of songs both old and not so old.
The second set is much more diverse, including Shine A Light, which was recorded with KT Tunstall.
Part of this set also included a brief summary of Suzi’s life and musical history, telling us that everyone in the Quatro family could play at least three instruments. By this time, we had all seen Suzi playing the keyboards, and then, as the second set progressed, having reminded us that the bass and drums are the most important part of any band, she played a blistering bass solo.
And if you thought string tapping was just an ’80s guitarist type thing, guess again, because Suzi Quatro proved that it is also very much a bass player thing as well.
By this point, there was a building excitement. Suzi joined the drummer, and they both started bashing out the skins, getting the crowd on their feet and clapping along, before launching into the three songs considered essential for a Suzi Q concert: Can The Can, Devil Gate Drive and If You Can’t Give Me Love.
When I said the crowd were on their feet, I mean everyone was on their feet. Aside from maybe the late Freddie Mercury, I really don’t know too many performers who can get the entire audience to do their bidding, but Suzi Quatro can (the can).
If this were a regular concert, you would maybe expect an encore, but with a two-set performance, there is no such thing. So Suzi closes the show with her fourth cover of the night, Chuck Berry’s Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller, and her own, very personal tribute to Elvis Presley, Singing With Angels.
And so ended the show, a triumphant and very welcome return to the UK for Suzi Quatro. Throughout the night, there was a genuine warmth and humour from Suzi, and I am sure that everyone, not just me, left The London Palladium knowing Suzi Quatro just a little bit better.
As I stood in the nearby pub and enjoyed an after-show beer, I reflected on a night of near peerless entertainment, delivered with seemingly effortless professionalism, and all done with a wisecrack and a smile.
Suzi Quatro – Setlist
Set 1:
The Wild One
I May Be Too Young
Daytona Demon
Tear Me Apart
Mama’s Boy
I Bit Off More Than I Could Chew
Stumblin’ In
48 Crash
Slow Down (Larry Williams cover)
Rockin’ in the Free World (Neil Young cover)
Can I Be Your Girl?
Set 2:
Freedom
Little Miss Lovely
Bad Moon Rising (Creedence Clearwater Revival cover)
She’s In Love With You
Shine a Light (Suzi Quatro & KT Tunstall song)
Too Big
Bass Solo & Drum Duet
Can the Can
Devil Gate Drive
If You Can’t Give Me Love
Sweet Little Rock ‘N’ Roller (Chuck Berry cover)
Singing With Angels
