While Liam Watts makes plenty of noise on the drums in The Enemy, he is often perceived as the quite one. Just check out his Twitter page and you may struggle to keep up with his tweets, but Becca Longmire from entertainmentwise.com managed to pin Liam down for this interview.......
Indie-rockers The Enemy are known for their honest opinions and their lack of love for the charts at the minute, however Entertainmentwise wanted to hear it from the guys themselves, so we caught up with drummer Liam Watts to talk pop, charts and T4 on the Beach.
The band released their current album 'Streets In The Sky' back in May (May 21) and charted at a respectable number nine the following Sunday. However, in a world surrounded by talent shows and pop music, is it hard for indie bands to make a name for themselves nowadays?
Liam told us: "Talent shows seem to be the future and I don't see how indie bands can overcome that. They're completely taking over the charts!"
He then went on to say, when asked about whether or not free downloads are constructive when it comes to bands like themselves: "I do think that free downloads help but we as a band did it more for the fans, as a thank you."
However, this begs the question - why would you surround yourselves with pop acts at T4 on the Beach, which took place recently on July 1...
"We played T4 on the Beach and it was a bit of a contrast, but we played T4 3 years ago as well. I think it's so hard to get TV exposure nowadays that you just have to do it, you have to take every opportunity", Liam went on.
"People seemed to like it and we were one of the only bands that didn't play with some form of backing track or CD."
Ooo, sly little dig noted...we have to say, we're pretty impressed that this is a band that haven't attempted to change even though they are still riding pretty high in the mainstream charts.
Liam added, "We'll never change, but of course bands mature", referring to the bands ever-growing style.
Here is an interview with Tom Clarke, Andy Hopkins and Liam Watts for The Scottish Sun. Recorded at T In The Park on Sunday 8th July 2012. The Enemy spoke about the set they were about to perform at TiTP and the difficulty of choosing which songs to leave out now they have three albums.
The Enemy recorded two acoustic tracks for The Sun as part of the Biz Session. Tom and Andy performed 'Saturday' and 'Gimme The Sign'. Here is The Sun article ......
Back on track ... The Enemy perform a second Biz Session - *PICS: Dave Hogan
THE ENEMY’s TOM CLARKE has had enough of the Olympics — even though they haven’t started yet.
He dismisses the Games as an “expensive egg and spoon race”.
Despite recently playing at the FA Cup Final, one of the nation's top sporting events, the rocker says he will avoid London at all costs during the event.
Tom, from Coventry, said: "It is the biggest waste of money during a double-dip recession that is possible to conceive.
"It's seems like an over-egged sports day, I just don't get it.
"I know the Government are going to encourage people to be proud of Britain.
"I'm proud of Britain when we look after the British taxpayer and the real people in the country.
"It's going to ruin London, if you're the British taxpayer it will cost you money.
"We're going to cut the NHS and pretty much every other public sector and put on the biggest event in the country's history probably ever, put on a sports day and a smile and say everything will be okay, when it's not."
The Olympics wasn't the only subject at the end of an ear-bashing from Tom after he and bandmate Andy Hopkins made a trip to The Sun Studios.
VIDEO - The Enemy - Saturday (Acoustic)
They performed Saturday, the first release from their third album Streets In The Sky, and later Tom expressed his sadness at Radio 1 for not playlisting it.
"I grew up listening to Radio 1 and it's a shame we've not had their support", he said.
"We're really disappointed as we love Radio 1. There is someone there at the top that doesn't like us."
Their visit to Sun HQ came three years after their big-hitting original Biz Session.
Streets In The Sky is out now but the band aren't sure how well it will sell.
Tom said: "Kind of whatever to the charts, it's full of s*** anyway.
"We took time off and we knew we were coming back into a completely different marketplace. It's the wild west at the moment, it could do anything.
"The UK music chart at the moment is who's got the biggest bank.
"We all know Simon Cowell has, if you've got X Factor TV money to put behind it, it's a bonus."
VIDEO: The Enemy - Give Me The Sign (Acoustic)
He added it's unlikely he will tune in on Sunday to see how they chart, saying: "I'm not going to get too excited, I'm just going to see what happens.
"I'll look it up on Google or wait for my mum to text me.
"I'm not sure if I can deal with listening to the rest of the s*** just to see where we chart."
He continued: "It's been a massive struggle to get here and release the album so I'm just concerned what the fans think.
"There has been so much positive feedback off the album, I was in bed the other day reading the iTunes reviews and the reaction on Twitter has been good.
"The work is done, it's time to just get out and play."
Tom sees the album as a fresh start for the band, and himself personally.
He's given up booze and despite additional nerves before going on stage, he feels great.
Tom said: "I gave alcohol up when we started the album as I wanted to be focused.
"We owe it to ourselves and the fans not to f*** the album up. I wanted a clear head so I could concentrate. I feel f****** amazing for it.
"It's the best place the band has ever been in. Everyone is getting on better than ever."
He's also flogging his fleet of posh cars and his farm.
He said: "I'm definitely selling the Porsche, if anyone wants one give me a shout. Nobody actually needs a Porsche and I don't want one anymore.
"The farm is too far out of the way, I'm not sure what possessed me to buy that."
His fresh outlook has also given Tom the opportunity to look even further ahead.
"I have a couple of ideas floating around for album No 4", he said.
"We're not going to hang about. We'll tour later this year and probably up to festival season in 2013 and then start on the album."
It's been a busy week for The Enemy as they launched their third album 'Streets In The Sky' at two sell-out home coming gigs in Coventry. Tom, Liam and Andy have been signing copies of the album in Manchester and London before finally heading to Glasgow on Friday, while performing lively gigs at each of those cities. The midweek album chart has The Enemy at #4, as guitar music looks set to return to the UK album charts this week. Amazon have made it their album of the week and fans can now download 'Streets In The Sky' for just £3.99 for a limited time.
Reviews for 'Streets in The Sky' are coming in thick and fast, we've reprinted some of them on the website and have been constantly updating the website with news, pictures and videos of The Enemy. If you have any pictures, videos or stories we can use on the UNOFFICIAL blog or website, please contact via email.
Finally, check the latest pictures from Shirlaine Forrest taken at the Manchester gig this week......
It's a busy week in The Enemy camp but it started off well as The Enemy said on their Facebook page, "Glad so many of you are like Streets, we are like proud parents. Straight in iTunes chart at 8. Not bad."
There have been plenty of stories in the press today as 'Streets In The Sky' went on sale across the UK (all available to read on The Enemy Unofficial website):
More of the NME interview with Andy Hopkins reveals thoughts on the second album and the meaning of the title for the third album. Read the NME story below:
The Enemy have admitted that the lyrics on their second studio album 'Music For The People' were too political.
The Coventry trio will release their third album 'Streets In The Sky', which has been produced by The Bronx's Joby Ford, on May 21.
The record kicks off with single 'Gimme The Sign', which you can watch the video for now by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking.
Speaking to NME, bassist Andy Hopkins said that the band all felt their second album was "too political", but that they have returned to their roots for the lyrical themes on 'Streets In The Sky'.
Asked about this, Hopkins said: "We might have gone a bit too political on the second album. It wasn't meant to be, but I think it ended up going that way. This album is like our first one in that it's inspired by our lives and the lives of the people around us. It's about us, and our mates and what goes on. It's got lots of different moods on there though."
Hopkins also spoke about the lengthy gap between their second and third records, saying that the band believed their second offering had been a bit rushed and that they needed a rest.
He said of this: "We needed a bit of a break. We didn't have long enough to write the second album, we basically ended up writing it in the studio. This time around we've had a lot more time and it's been a lot more relaxed."
The bassist also spoke about the album's title, which he revealed had been taken from a television programme about Sheffield housing estate Park Hill, which described the design concept as 'Streets In The Sky'. He added though that the title wasn't actually a reference to the flats.
He said of the LP's title: "There's this block of flats in Sheffield and there was a programme on it and it was called 'Streets In The Sky'. It's not about that though, it can mean lots of things. To me it means normal people doing well. It means enjoying yourself. It doesn't mean just one thing."
NME spoke to Andy Hopkins about the exciting news that The Enemy will be performing on the roof of Wembley. Here is that NME article:
The Enemy have admitted their gig on the roof of Wembley Stadium "might be tricky" - as bassist Andy Hopkins is afraid of heights.
The Coventry band will take to the roof of the stadium before the FA Cup final on May 5, with their 'Talk Of The Terrace' performance set to be broadcast on ESPN along with the game.
Speaking to NME about how the booking came about, Hopkins revealed that The Football Association simply called their management and asked if they'd like to play on the roof of Wembley Stadium.
He said: "We've worked with the FA quite a bit and obviously 'Be Somebody' is the FA Cup song. They just phoned up our management and asked if we wanted to play on the roof of Wembley on cup final day. Of course we said yes."
Then asked what songs the Coventry trio would be playing, Hopkins added: "We're going to play 'Saturday' and hopefully one more. I think it's just going to be for TV, I can't imagine there'll be any crowd up there. I definitely won't be stage diving."
The bassist then admitted that he's a bit nervous about the gig as he's not good with heights, but hopes that the band are playing in the safety of a glass box.
He said of this: "I don't have a clue how they're going to get the gear up there. To be honest, I'm not that good with heights, which could be tricky. I think there's a little glass box we'll be in, but I'm not totally sure."
The Enemy release their comeback album 'Streets In The Sky' on May 21. The Coventry trio recorded the 12-track album with The Bronx's Joby Ford.
Andy Hopkins spoke to NME magazine about their forthcoming album release, giving some honest thoughts on 'Music For The People' and the fresh, raw sound we can expect on 'Streets In The Sky'. Here is that article from NME:
The Enemy have spoken about their new album 'Streets In The Sky' and said that they believe they have truly captured their live sound properly for the first time.
The Coventry trio will release their third album on May 21. The record kicks off with single 'Gimme The Sign', which you can watch the video for now by scrolling down to the bottom of the page and clicking.
Speaking to NME about the album, bassist Andy Hopkins said that the band all felt their second album 'Music For The People' "sounded too big for a three-piece band" and that he felt they'd captured the sound of their debut 'We'll Live And Die In These Towns' on their new record.
Asked about how he and his bandmates reflected on their second album, Hopkins said: "With the second album, the overall sound was too big for a three-piece band. We've gone back to sounding more like the first album; it's more upbeat, with more catchy choruses. But, at the same time, it sounds nothing like the first album."
Hopkins also spoke about the band's decision to work with The Bronx's Joby Ford on the album and said that he'd help them find a sound that was "fresh and raw".
Asked about how they got introduced to Ford, Hopkins said: "We got introduced to Joby through our A&R man. We'd heard him in the Bronx and once we found out a bit about him we thought he'd be great for the record because he'd make it sound really fresh and raw. On the last couple of albums, we haven't really got our live sound across."
He continued: "With Joby, he helped just work on getting that across. He works in the same way as we do. It wasn't quicker, but it wasn't stressful in any way. We did pre-production, which we've never done before. He listened to all the songs and made loads of suggestions, which really helped."
The bassist added that the trio started off the recording with around 30 songs and then whittled them down to 12 after extensive demoing.
He said of this: "We had about 30 songs to start off with and we demoed a lot of them. Once we finished demoing and recorded some of them we were able to pick out the ones we wanted."
The Enemy will play an intimate London show next week. The band, who confirmed two homecoming gigs at Coventry's Cathedral Ruins on May 21 and 22 earlier this month, will play London's Borderline venue on April 18.
The Enemy will follow the Coventry dates with a short UK tour, playing three further shows. These begin at Manchester Academy on May 23, the band will then play London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on May 24, before finally finishing at Glasgow Barrowlands on May 25.
The band are also confirmed to appear at this summer's Live At Leeds festival and at both legs of August's V Festival.
The Enemy will play:
London Borderline (April 18)
Coventry Cathedral Ruins (May 21, 22)
Manchester Academy (23)
O2 Shepherds Bush Empire (24)
Glasgow Barrowlands (25)
The Enemy Coventry gig announcement has been reported by NME.COM , they wrote:
The Enemy have announced two homecoming shows for next month.
The Coventry trio, who will release their third album 'Streets In The Sky' later this year, will play the city's Cathedral Ruins on May 21 and 22.
'Streets In The Sky' has been produced by The Bronx's Joby Ford and is also likely to include tracks titled 'Bigger Cages, Longer Chains', 'Saturday', '1234 Ready To Go' and 'This Is Real'.
The Enemy will follow the Coventry dates with a UK, playing three further shows. These begin at Manchester Academy on May 23, the band will then play London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on May 24, before finally finishing at Glasgow Barrowlands on May 25.
The band also confirmed to appear at this summer's Live At Leeds festival and at both legs of August's V Festival.
To check the availability of The Enemy tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/TICKETS now, or call 0871 230 1094.
The Enemy have announced they will be performing two special gigs in Coventry to coincide with the release of their third album 'Streets In The Sky'. Martin Bagot from the Coventry Telegraph reports:
THE Enemy are to play two sensational open air concerts in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral.
The city’s biggest group have finally managed to set up two gigs at the city’s most iconic building – after conquering huge logistical difficulties and health and safety concerns.
They will be the first big concerts to take place in the cathedral ruins for years and will mark the launch of the indie-rock band’s third album next month.
Speaking to the Telegraph at the ruins, frontman Tom Clarke said: “It’s amazing to be here knowing what is to come.
“I came down here the other day just to refresh myself. It’s somewhere we’ve always wanted to play but have never managed it.
“We always like to make Coventry feel special but there are a limit to the big open spaces you can use here.
“This is the most special gig on the calendar this year and the one that the most effort has gone in to making happen.
“Whether you are religious or not, this place is just a huge landmark.’’
The gigs on May 21 and 22 coincide with the launch of their much-anticipated album, Streets in the Sky.
The announcement comes the month after an intimate gig at a packed Bar S7ven, at Coventry’s old fire station premises.
They recorded the music video for first single, Gimme the Sign there.
The Enemy announced that gig online three weeks earlier and tickets sold in seconds. An estimated 30,000 fans also watched online.
Around 800 tickets are available for the cathedral gig on Wednesday – and are expected to be snapped up.
“It’s mad because we used to come here for school trips,” drummer Liam Watts – a former Cardinal Newman School pupil – said.
“Wherever we are abroad being interviewed, when they ask about Coventry they ask about the cathedral.”
The band’s debut We’ll Live And Die In These Towns gave the Coventry trio a number one album barely a year after they had got together.
Follow-up album Music For The People reached second spot.
Now the ambitious Coventrians say they want this album to set them on their way to headlining festivals and major arenas.
Songwriter Tom insisted Streets in the Sky will be another dose of biting social commentary from a Coventry perspective, in a climate of cuts and job losses.
Bass player Andy Hopkins said: “Some people think we are detached from all that now but we’re not.
“We have the same friends and family who all live here.
Tom added: “Coventry is still home. The issues are always still close to home – and so are we.”
The new album will be released on the same day as the first cathedral gig on May 21.
Gig tickets go on sale from www.theenemy.com at 9am on Wednesday.
The Enemy have been confirmed for yet another festival, this time the Coventry band will be heading to Cumbria for this year's Whitehaven Festival . Here is what the News&Star website wrote about the news:
The Charlatans and The Enemy are the latest big names to be added to this year’s Whitehaven festival.
The bands were announced today (22/03/12) as the acts playing on the Sunday night of the Diamond Jubilee event.
Also taking to the stage on the final night of the festival will be Simon Townshend who plays alongside his dad Pete in The Who, and The Lottery Winners.
Led by charismatic frontman Tim Burgess, the Charlatans burst out of the Madchester music scene in 1990 with their debut album Some Friendly and the psychedelia-tinged hit single The Only One I Know.
Major hits such as North Country Boy, How High, Weirdo and , One to Another followed.
All of the band’s 11 studio albums have charted in the Top 40 and three of them were number ones.
They have also racked up 17 Top 30 singles, and four Top 10 hits in the singles chart.
Indie rockers The Enemy are also chart regulars.
The band’s debut album We’ll Live and Die in These Towns went straight to number one in the albums chart in 2007 and the follow-up, Music for the People made it to number two, while the tracks Away from Here and Had Enough both made it into the top 10 of the singles chart.
The Coventry trio supported Oasis and played the Reading and Leeds Festival before taking a two year break from music.
After a long wait, their new album Streets In The Sky is now due for release.
Here is an interview with Tom Clarke by Neil Short for the Yorkshire Evening Post - published on March 22nd, 2012.
THE ENEMY are a trio from Coventry who sprang to fame in 2007 with the top 10 hits Away From Here and Had Enough.
The band supported Oasis, Kasabian, Manic Street Preachers, Stereophonics, the Kaiser Chiefs – at Elland Road – and the Rolling Stones – at the O2 Arena.
They performed at all the major festivals and their songs featured in video games such as Guitar Hero World Tour and Fifa 10.
Their third album, Streets in the Sky, was recorded in London and Los Angeles and is due out in mid-May. The same month they appear at the Live at Leeds festival. We spoke to singer and guitarist Tom Clarke about the show.
I understand that The Enemy have been announced as one of the headliners for Live at Leeds this year – are you excited to play Leeds again?
Yeah, the reason we picked to do this one is there’s a lot of noise happening about the new album and we’ve chosen very carefully the few places in the country that we want to play, essentially to give people a first taste of the new stuff.
Leeds has always been a key place for us, it’s been a place where people have jumped on the band from our very first gigs in the Cockpit, playing the small rooms to hardly anyone. It’s just built up from there – one of the best gigs we’ve played was Leeds Festival.
When is the new album going to be released then? Will there be a full tour?
It’s going to be May – we haven’t got an exact date yet, but it is going to be around the middle of May. Things obviously change, I mean, it depends on when we get it all finished. We are at the final stage now where we are mixing the tracks which have been recorded and finished off, and now it’s a mad rush to get it finished. We’re hoping to get it done pretty quickly. We are doing a small tour of four cities to launch the album; Live at Leeds, London, Manchester and Glasgow.
You were giving away a single from the new album called Gimme The Sign. Why did you do that?
The reason we did that, to put it bluntly, is that we have the best fans of any band in the world. They are so loyal, always there and always proper excited to see the band. They love the band.
I don’t know quite where this loyalty comes from – if it comes from them hearing us at the right time, if the lyrics are relevant to their lives – but for whatever reason we have got some of the most superbly, brilliantly, loyal fans, and I think it’s right that you respect that.
You have to pay homage to that, show them you appreciate it, and this album has been made with the fans in mind. This is what do Enemy fans want, not what can we do, or what can we put in here.
We wanted to make sure that the fans knew we appreciated them, and we wanted to make sure the first thing we did was give them a single for free. We know that a single doesn’t cost that much, but we appreciate that people are strapped for cash, but it’s a gesture. It’s your band; this is your single, just for the fans that have always been there.
You mentioned you’re aware that people don’t have a lot of money these days; do you think that’s affecting the live music scene?
I think it’s in a very precarious position, but I also think it’s in a very exciting position.
Whilst people haven’t got the money to invest in music the way they used to, I think it makes it exciting, it makes it a challenge due to the economy and due to circumstances out of our fans’ control. The challenge is how to get music to fans. They still want the music, it’s just that their resources are limited.
These [Live At Leeds] tickets are quite reasonably priced, but one of our aims this year is to keep our ticket prices low. I mean, you have to be in touch with what people can afford at the moment, and they simply don’t have the cash to throw about like they used to.
I heard that Live at Leeds was running a competition to give the lucky winner a pair of tickets to see you there. Is this something you guys organised?
I had no idea about that, but I think it’s quality. Hopefully that’s someone else looking at the bigger picture and realising one fan’s enjoyment will pay you back ten fold. It’s good to see someone else thinking the way we do. It’s really important to reach people you wouldn’t ordinarily reach.
You support other genres of music and encourage fans of other genres to get involved in your scene. Why do you think that’s important?
I think we all have common ground. Every type of music, every creative person, we all took it upon ourselves to go out and make music probably because we had no other way to vent our frustrations or to express ourselves, and that’s across every single genre.
I think you should be open-minded and give everyone a chance. I learnt that at Reading Festival when I was dragged to see this trendy band who I didn’t really think I’d like, and was a bit wary of. I remember watching this band thinking they were absolutely amazing, and I think if you want to enjoy music to its fullest, you have to keep an open mind.
The local newspaper published this article about what the fans thought of The Enemy's comeback gig at S7ven in Coventry. Warren Manger who was at the gig and wrote the story, has championed the music scene in Coventry for a long time. His review of The Enemy at S7ven is also reproduced below (read The Music Abyss for more from Coventry's music scene)
COVENTRY kids The Enemy stepped back onto the stage to treat hundreds of fans to a compelling comeback show.
A capacity crowd packed bar S7ven at the old city fire station for the momentous show, which saw The Enemy debut five tracks from their eagerly-awaited third album.
Meanwhile, an estimated 30,000 fans tuned in online to watch the gig – which was recorded for the band’s new music video, Gimme The Sign.
They were treated to a host of classic Enemy tracks, plus five new tracks from their third album, due later this year.
After the show on Thursday night, many fans took to Twitter hailing it a huge success.
Rob McArdle, from The Enemy unofficial blog, said: “The crowd went wild – lots of crowd surfing and new tunes are mint.
“The band ripped it up, the place was exploding with energy.”
The Enemy announced the intimate gig online three weeks ago.
Tickets went on sale immediately and sold out in seconds.
Fans began queuing outside the venue long before the doors opened at 8pm to secure a spot at the front and get their faces on the video.
During the show they were treated to a sneak peak at five new tracks including This Is Real, Saturday and Bigger Cages, Longer Chains.
After the gig The Enemy frontman Tom Clarke tweeted: “Thank you to everyone at the video shoot.
“Amazing, you lot made it epic! Can’t praise you enough.”
The comeback gig prompted such excitement The Sun’s showbiz editor Gordon Smart even sought some relief from the scandal that has engulfed the newspaper by heading to Coventry to see the show.
He saw the band – Clarke, bassist Andy Hopkins and drummer Liam Watts – produce arguably their most thrilling show since their Godiva Festival slot in 2007.
After the gig, he tweeted: “Fair play to Tom, Andy and Liam. Rock’n’roll spirit is alive and well in Coventry tonight.”
The gig was hosted by the Panic rock and roll club night at S7ven.
It was organised by promoter John Dawkins, who also works with and is a close friend of the band.
It is the second big name he has attracted to the venue in a week.
Last Friday, Reverend & The Makers played an intimate set there to warm up for their slot supporting Noel Gallagher on his solo arena tour.
Coventry music historian Pete Chambers tweeted: “The Enemy are back, they nailed it tonight.
“Made me proud to be from Cov all over again, thanks to Dawks.”
THERE is something special in the air as the crowd at S7ven in Coventry wait for The Enemy to take to the stage for their big comeback.
It evokes memories of the trio's famous slot at the Godiva Festival in 2007.
On that occasion both the band and their fans knew they were celebrating the dawn of a new era, with their debut album We'll Live And Die In These Towns set to enter the charts at number one the next evening.
Tonight is all about rebirth.
Second album Music For The People featured some stunning highlights but failed to capture the public's imagination in the same way as their first.
So the band went away and regrouped, enlisting the help of punk rocker Joby Ford to reinvigorate their music and capture their live sound on record.
(Ford's influence is acknowledged tonight by bassist Andy Hopkins, who wears a t-shirt promoting his band The Bronx).
The crowd sense they are about to be treated to a momentous occasion.
They are the privileged few hundred who happened to be online at the moment the show was announced and tickets immediately went on sale.
Thousands more only heard about the intimate comeback gig after it had sold out.
Promoter John Dawkins - a close confident of the band and organiser of Panic, the rock and roll night at S7ven which is hosting their comeback - is quick to remind them of that.
"There are 30,000 people watching this online," he says, goading the crowd to go wild for the cameras.
"We're the lucky ones."
This gig may be designed to debut new material, but The Enemy are seasoned enough to know they need to lay the groundwork first.
Entering to the familiar refrain of Too Much, Too Young the band launch straight into the unbridled antagonism of Aggro before merging seamlessly into the hit singles Had Enough and Away From Here.
By the time they have ripped through that titanic trilogy the crowd are whipped into enough of a frenzy for the band to reel out Gimme The Sign - the new single for which they are filming the video.
More new tracks follow - the full throttle Bigger Cages, Longer Chains, the yearning This Is Real (already released as a demo), Saturday and 1234 Ready To Go.
These are interspersed with established favourites such as This Song Is About You, No Time For Tears and Happy Birthday Jane.
Frontman Tom Clarke has previously promised the new tracks are the most muscular the band have penned to date - a welcome return to their hard rocking roots.
On this evidence he was not exaggerating.
These new tracks - fuelled by the same spirit of rebellion that inspired their earlier highlights - are uncompromising to say the least.
In light of Clarke's recent comments on the state of the charts you might easily brand them a rallying cry for rock and roll - even a declaration of war against the insipid singles of polished pop that currently dominate the airwaves.
Lighters aloft sing-a-long We'll Live And Die In These Towns was always one of The Enemy's more measured moments.
Now, nestled alongside their breakneck new material, it seems positively slow and sentimental.
This draws a wry joke from Clarke as the acoustic guitar kicks in.
"Right, now we're gonna play you some James Blunt," he quips, before swiftly assuring the crowd this is not the case.
In The Enemy camp the sense of excitement surrounding their third album is reaching fever pitch. (Dawkins in particular is emphatic when describing how far superior it is to their previous work).
However, the band inevitably return to perennial favourite You're Not Alone to close the set.
It is more than just their standard, it is the very embodiment of their shared identity with every other frustrated Coventrian who still mourns the decline of this great city.
As such it will always mean more to those fervent fans going doolally on the dancefloor at S7ven than it will to crowds in any other city.
By the time the song reaches its climax the venue is bouncing so violently it seems the city walls visible from the window - which have stood for 700 years - could come crashing down under the force of the shockwaves.
It ends the gig on a fitting high and sees bassist Hopkins swept out into the crowd to surf across a sea of bodies before returning to the stage, carried aloft like a scene from Danny The Champion of the World.
As the band reluctantly leave the stage Clarke turns to the crowd, raises his beer bottle in silent salute and mouths the words, "We Love You Coventry."
The success of their first two albums has taken the Enemy around the world, bringing them fame and fortune.
However, their ferociously intense bond with the city remains undiminished.
You get the feeling the notion of living and dying in their hometown no longer carries the sense of dread and frustration that it did five years ago.
All that matters right now is that they enjoy the journey.
And on the evidence of this compelling comeback the boys are clearly having the time of their lives - as are they hundreds of fans they are taking along for the ride.
