Bringing The Music To Life With LEE JENNINGS From THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT

THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT has jumped headlong into 2026 with the January 16 release of their first-ever live album, LIVE FROM SUFFOCATE CITY via Better Noise Music. To coincide with the album, the band is bringing the track Stay Weird to cinematic life as well.“‘Stay Weird’ has always been our love letter to the beautifully strange souls who’ve supported this band from day one,” declares frontman Lee Jennings. “Hearing The Coffin Crew scream it back at us in Atlanta during our Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting was unreal. That night captured everything we stand for—individuality, belonging, and the freedom to be exactly who you are. I’m beyond excited that this live album lets the world feel that energy.”On LIVE FROM SUFFOCATE CITY, fans are invited to step inside the chaos and catharsis of THE FUNERAL PORTRAIT’s first-ever Suffocate City Town Hall Meeting, captured live from their sold-out hometown show at The Masquerade in Atlanta, GA in 2025. The exclusive Blu-ray documents the band’s legendary performance in front of a packed house of diehard fans. It’s a thrilling night of raw emotion, high-energy theatrics, and fan-favourite anthems.Frontman Jennings joined HEAVY to tell us more. We start by asking why now is the right time to release a live album."I don't know…," he measured. "I think I just wanted something… I wanted something when we were ready, right? Because a lot of bands don't even do live records any more, and for me, growing up, that was such a big thing. I wanted that. I wanted to see a band live. And especially our band, we're very, very theatrical and over the top. So I wanted to bring that on stage and show it to everyone."In the full interview, Lee discussed the upcoming release of Live from Suffocate City in greater detail, highlighting the challenges of producing a live record that authentically captures the atmosphere of their performances, including audience interactions and background sounds. He expressed a desire to evolve the set list by focusing on songs that resonate with his current emotions, despite potential backlash from fans regarding the removal of older tracks.The conversation also covered plans for an upcoming concert where they will perform the album in its entirety, accompanied by a Blu-ray release featuring dynamic footage filmed with 12 cameras. Lee shared insights on the band's success following the release of Greetings from Suffocate City in September 2024, mentioning plans for a potential tour in Australia and the challenges of touring while emphasizing their commitment to engaging with fans and expanding their international presence and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.