Previously published on mintsouth.com in Apr 2009
Words - Suzy Sims
Editor - Rob Ball
(c) mintsouth
THE ENEMY @ SOUTHAMPTON GUILDHALL 09/04/09
Are gigs getting earlier these days, or am I just turning up later? Arriving around 8.45pm we realised we’d missed both support acts, Kid British and Twisted Wheel. My friend returned from the bar crestfallen and empty-handed shortly before ten to ten. Lights were on and the gig was over by 10pm. We couldn’t help feeling a little short changed.
Having seen The Enemy in December 2006 supporting The Futureheads, I was keen to see if there had been a change in their live show. At that time I dismissed them as a miniature Oasis and pronounced them as good at the time, but ultimately forgettable. The Enemy then went on to win statuettes for being ‘The Best’ as voted for by NME, XFM and Q. I missed these ceremonies as I was too busy eating my words. Mmm, words.
The first obvious difference was that everyone was here to see The Enemy tonight instead of politely waiting for another band. The second difference was the massive screen strip along the top of the stage onto which was projected every town/city on this tour, before pausing on SOUTHAMPTON to raucous cheers. They’re in a bigger league now.
The pre-gig warm up CD pumped out Pulp and The Verve, reinforcing the feeling that tonight would be full of mainstream indie entertainment. Though as expected there are a lot of lads in the crowd and the front got a bit messy at times, the average age is actually much older than first assumed.
Lad rock is too simplistic a term for The Enemy’s output. They have a powerful sound which easily fills the room and lead singer Tom Clarke spits a trembling anger from underneath his mop of hair. A red headed female steps up to join them on one song – she doesn’t seem to be introduced, just appears and disappears again. Meanwhile bandmates Liam Watts on drums and Andy Hopkins on bass aren’t flashy, they just get on with their job.
While I’m not their biggest fan, I do feel like standing up to defend them. As fairly standard popular rock, The Enemy get something of a bashing from more artistic music types who think an electric guitar and a leather jacket is the height of naffness, but why mess with a winning formula? Can’t have just one band in a genre after all. They have some damn good songs which are enjoyable to listen to.
However The Enemy aren’t one for conversation between songs, with the most we get being told to make some noise and several thumbs up for being “FUCKING AMAZING!”
The video at the top mainly switched between close ups of Clarke, the fond fanbase in the front row having it and split-screens of the band, slightly Arctic Monkeys – Live At The Apollo in nature.
‘Had Enough’ is thrown in near the start, with other tracks including new single ‘No Time For Tears’, ‘Aggro’ and ever-popular ‘Away From Here’. The anthemic ‘We’ll Live And Die In These Towns’ sees a lot of people suddenly appearing on their friend’s shoulders, arms outstretched. For the encore we get ‘Happy Birthday Jane’ and ‘You’re Not Alone’, accompanied by a rainbow of beer bottles arcing their way across the room and spattering the crowd.
While I’m not the biggest fan of the band, they do get unfairly slated. Late Of The Pier may not be strictly correct when they sing ‘The Enemy Are The Future’, but the band are certainly increasing their fanbase as they arm themselves with album two and continue their march on the airwaves.
http://www.theenemy.com
http://www.thetwistedwheel.co.uk
http://www.myspace.com/kidbritishmusic
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