Words and Pictures – Louise Phillips \ Louise Phillips Photography
Hot off the back of their self-titled 2023 album, Electric Enemy took to the stage at The Old Blue Last to a packed audience of die-hard fans and from the onset, their performance can only be described as electrifying!
Electric Enemy’s first track was the formidable ‘Where Do We Go From Here’ with its hypnotic opening guitar sound and Lawton’s mesmerising vocals, before opening up to driving drum beats. A track that can only be described as absolutely stunning!!! Lawton isn’t a man who shy’s away from gritty lyrics and goes for the easy option of delivering feel good music about happy times. Instead, his lyrics are raw, fearless and visceral! And this was never clearer than in this powerful opening track which closes beautifully with perfectly blended melodies that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
Lawton sings about his own mental health issues with a powerful intensity rarely seen in radio friendly music. And there’s something captivating about his ability to show his vulnerability and speak so openly and honestly, that only makes his fans love him more! And his fans are evangelical about him and he is to them! Tracks like ‘Fuck It’ went down an absolute storm with Lawton’s flawless almost animalistic vocals whipping the crowd into a frenzy of dancing bodies.Electric Enemy are a band who are constantly evolving.
Their new material is far heavier and bolder than their previous work, Lawton has a work ethic rarely seen in today’s music industry and has set himself the task of releasing a new single every four weeks in the lead up to the release of the their eagerly anticipated new album due out later this year. But Lawton is not your average rocker, he’s a super talented singer songwriter who plays multiple instruments and writes and records all his own songs as well as a prolific song writer in many other genres of music. He’s even received a prestigious John Lennon Award for his track, ‘Manana Manana’ which he co-wrote and produced with Latin artist Patinio.
Patinio
Patinio was the first of tonight’s support bands and although his softer mariachi sound was a stark contrast to Electric Enemy’s primal, in your face, heavy rock, it was a lovely start to the evening.
Rival Karma
Further support was from heavy rock duo Rival Karma who were a balls to the wall ninja rock duo who delivered ferocious riffs and relentless drum beats! They were like a Queens of the Stone Age hybrid and are certainly a band on the way up!
Rival Karma (@rivalkarma) • Instagram photos and videos
Electric Enemy
Lawton is every inch the musical maverick, walking where angels fear to tread, less saying it as it is, more screaming it! Yet Electric Enemy’s music is carefully crafted and endlessly clever. Lawton is the man with the golden touch, a musical genius with endless inspiration and his determination is mind-blowing! Whilst Electric Enemy is Lawton, he has a stellar band of exceptional musicians around him. The most extraordinary of which is the Lawton’s partner the immensely talented Violet Verigo. Verigo, as well as being a talented actress and stunt woman is outstanding on backing vocals and the bands keytar player. Yes, you read that right! Keytar! The dynamic between them on stage is absolutely explosive and who would have ever thought that a keytar could sound so damn good on heavy rock tracks! But somehow it just works, really works, bringing a unique edge to their music that makes you want to get straight on Spotify and devour their back catalogue! As Electric Enemy continue their inevitable rise to superstardom, I have a feeling that keytar players are going to start appearing in rock bands everywhere!
It’s virtually impossible to say who Electric Enemy sound like as they are just so unique, but I would say is that if you love ‘Royal Blood’, then you will love Electric Enemy. Sharing the stage tonight with Lawton and Verigo are Roddy Bailey on drums and John Armstrong on bass, both excellent musicians.
One of the best tracks of the night was the incredible new single, ‘The Right Thing’ which came after a driving drum solo. A track so catchy, that I defy you not to sing it all the way home!! It’s got it all! Electro guitar effects, catchy vocals that open up into Lawton screaming “mother fucker” to an ecstatic audience!! Raw, visceral, beautiful and tuneful!! The perfect combination!
When The Sex Pistols played the 100 Club back in 1976, it was one of those gigs that became part of rock folklore, like a badge of honour that meant that you were a proper part of rock history if you’d been there. And there was a definite feeling amongst the audience here tonight that we were all part of something incredibly special, something that a couple of years from now, people will ask you, “where you at that EE gig?” and if you were you’d have maximum bragging rights!!
Electric Enemy are finally starting to get some of the attention that they so rightly deserve, especially on Spotify and the other big music streaming platforms, this band are the most exciting band that I’ve heard in a very long time and I for one can’t wait to come along for the ride!!
Check out the recent video and interview with Electric Enemy below:
https://linktr.ee/electricenemy
Setlist:
Where Do We Go From Here
Therapy 2
Voices
Shame
Paranoid
Save Me
Burn
All For You
You
The Right Thing
The Fear
Fuck It
Heartache Melody
Bleed Me Dry
Therapy
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