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THE ENEMY/TWISTED WHEEL Just over 2 years ago I stood in a very nearly empty Cardiff
HMV watching an in-store gig by a new group promoting their first single
release. To my eyes the 3 band members looked about 13, barely strong
enough to hold their instruments and the lead singer seemed only just
able to reach the microphone. However they had bags of attitude and
made one hell of a racket. Fast forward 24 months and I'm here to witness
the same band undertake a repeat HMV appearance, only now they have
a string of hit singles under their belt, a No 1 debut album and a stellar
reputation as a live act. The band by the way are Coventry's finest-The
Enemy.
Twisted Wheel and Spillers Gang Spillers Records prides itself on being the "Oldest Record Shop in the World" having been trading since 1894, and while I have no doubt this moniker is true, it may also be the smallest. After the large Enemy entourage on show previously (Roadies, Bouncers, Guitar Techs) it was refreshing to see that Twisted Wheel's in-store performance consisted of one stool set up in a corner, and a middle aged bloke bringing in an acoustic guitar from his van. They seem to have a growing reputation and follow up their jaunt with the Enemy by supporting both Oasis and Paul Weller, however just to prove that not everything is plain sailing the always obtuse NME was particularly unkind about their debut album. Due to space restrictions only lead singer Jonny Brown was able to actually play, and having purchased their recent single "Lucy the Castle ", I was looking forward to hearing him at least in the flesh. He duly bangs out three numbers from the aforementioned eponymous offering -to the 30 or so punters jammed in every orifice of the shop -in the shape of "Strife", "Bad Candy" and "Bouncing Bomb". Whilst it was difficult to be objective about songs ostensibly meant to be played by a band, and on electric guitars , I couldn't see anything immediately wrong with them. So much so that I hung around and bought the album, which the band were kind enough to autograph. Nice lads.
Just enough time to take on some liquid refreshment before its off to Cardiff University and part three of my musical wanderings for the evening. I arrive just in time to see my "old friends" Twisted Wheel take to the stage, and its amazing what a spot of electricity will do, as they sound a completely different band from only 75 minutes earlier. Immediately it is evident why they were chosen as the support as there are definite similarities in sound with the headlining band, not that this is a bad thing. Just for me they start with "Lucy the Castle" and "She's a Weapon", and thereafter the rest of the new album is belted through at breakneck speed. Very much the front man, Jonny has a gravelly rock'n'roll voice and holds centre stage while belting out tracks like "We Are Us", "Strife", "Let Them Have It All", "Bad Candy", "You Stole The Sun" and "Bouncing Bomb". So despite what the NME said I thoroughly enjoyed their set and wouldn't hesitate to see them live again. Anyway, its a well known fact all rock journalists are wankers!
Pic : Steve Bateman And so to The Enemy. Before I start I should say this will be my 7th
time I have caught the Coventry umpa lumpa's live and therefore would
say they were metaphorically singing to the converted. So it was with
an air of anticipation that I waited to hear numbers from the new album,
especially as my previous earlier taster of the new single had been
so positive. Therefore as the stage was flooded with dry ice, and the
house lights dimmed in preparation of their immanent arrival, I was
expecting great things. In truth I was to be disappointed, as after
the initial new song "Elephant Song", the set list then was
taken almost entirely from their debut album. Now I loved this record
when it first came out, and happily shouted out the vocals when I saw
them several times in 2007, but in truth I am now getting a bit sick
of it. Yes, I will always love their greatest moment "It's Not
OK" , but even I am starting to find great rocks songs like "Away
From Here" and "You're Not Alone" somewhat irksome due
to repetition. It should be said that I was probably in a minority as
the crowd seemed to lap up tracks like "Pressure", "Had
Enough", "We Live and Die", "Technodanceaphobic
", "40 Days And 40 Nights ", "Your Song" etc.
Having said that, the audience seemed very close to that seen recently
at Oasis gigs, i.e. the football crowd type who rarely go to live concerts
and only want an evening of lager filled sing-a-long sessions. It would
be a shame if a likeable, and talented, bunch of lads like the Enemy
end up having to play the same songs repeatedly for the rest of their
career, especially as the new single sounds even better the second time
around. The only other new track "Sing When You're In Love"
seemed to confirm a departure from the sound of their debut release
and maybe this was the reason they seemed reticent to play any further
new tracks, which was a shame. All in all an enjoyable evening, but
with a somewhat unfulfilling finale.
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