South Coast Entertainment The Enemy Review

The Enemy have barely been around long enough for people to really grasp what they have achieved within British music. In the space of 2 years they have gone from writing songs in the back of a Ford Fiesta to a UK number 1 album, to perhaps one of the biggest accolades of all, supporting Oasis on their huge UK stadium tour this summer. In support for their forthcoming album, The Enemy hit the road this spring to much anticipation from fans and critics alike to see if they warrant all the accolades that come their way.

The Southampton Guildhall looks more like a town hall than a major music venue with its grand ceiling and floral patterned carpets, but the halls excellent acoustics would prove that booking this is a masterstroke by The Enemy. But what of Kid British and Twisted Wheel, the two acts picked to support them? Kid British's ska/indie/british-hip hop fusion certainly kept the appreciative crowd on their toes. Twisted Wheel came on to a mountain of noise, feedback and blew back the crowd with some very good and catchy songs. The lead singers Liam Gallagher-esq snarl and his creative riffs mid-song highlight why their debut album is eagerly anticipated. But they seemed less enthusiastic with the crowd response and ended their set early. While the crowd were disappointed not hear more, it only brought forward what everyone was here to see.

As the PA system rolled out classic songs, the monotony of watching the roadies set up actually became enjoyable! The Verve's classic Bittersweet Symphony, was met with a large sing along that suitably warmed up the voices of the crowd. As the lights dimmed, the large screen above them reeled through all the cities on the current tour, (with some unexpected cheers for Sheffield?!) before stopping on Southampton to an eruption of noise. Straight away they gave us a glimpse of the new album with opener 'Elephant Song' until launching into 'Had Enough'. 3 more high tempo songs from their debut album came next with their first limited edition single '40 Days and 40 Nights' preceding 'Technodanceaphobic' and 'Pressure' which were sung back at them by a fully engaged crowd. They next introduced a female singer who provided powerful backing vocals for their new single 'No Time For Tears'. In the time since their last album, this song signalled the progression in musicianship that The Enemy have undertaken. 'No Time For Tears' is a wall of sound. Tom Clarke spits the lyrics to the audience, and as the chorus comes into force, the crowd greets him back with every word, surprising for a song that hasn't even been released by this time! The lyrics and the way the song is delivered connect with an audience seemingly thankful that at least one band is coming from the same place as they are.

And if people weren't pumped up enough, their huge hit 'Away From Here' came next. From the opening line, the crowd erupted, making it definitely the highlight of the night. First album opener 'Aggro' followed with a big light show and impressive drum graphics on the big screen to accompany it. Liam Watts' drumming was impressive throughout and he seemed more at liberty to burst into drum fills than he had been in their early days. They then delved back into their new album with 'Sing When You're In Love'. It's synth-intro and its instantly catchy chorus mean it will be a classic in The Enemy's future set lists. Songs 'We'll Live And Die in These Towns' and 'This Song' were perhaps when the band stood back and appreciated the reception they were getting as on both, they stopped their playing to listen to the chorus's being yelled back to them with fanatic admiration. As they came off after 'It's Not Ok', chants of 'EN-EM-EY!' echoed round the hall. They did not disappoint and returned to play 'Happy Birthday Jane' and ending on 'You're Not Alone' which connected both band and crowd ending what seemed a perfect night for both sides of the barrier.

The Enemy are a band that often get criticised for songs that many say only appeal to a certain type of gig-goer. But the crowd was made up of all people, from all walks of life. The energy that went into every song they did, and the genuine appreciation for the crowds that got them where they are mean that they amass a loyal following. It is no wonder that they named their new record 'Music For The People' because that is what The Enemy say their songs are all about. And on a night like this, who would argue with them?