Headlining the final gig of King Tut’s New Years Revolution, a jam-packed fortnight showcasing the best and brightest new bands, is a privilege not to be taken lightly.
Understandably then, we are anticipating something a bit special as homegrown Enemies of the State do the honours.
The Glasgow up and comers have raised a fair amount of hype in the run up to the gig, posting a number of semi-cryptic messages alluding to a “big announcement” and changes afoot on social media.
The band have promised a night not to be missed and on the basis of their debut album Awakening, a solid and assured piece of indie-rock, expectations, and spirits, are understandably high.
After a quick trip to the bar between sets, we are back just in time to catch the band’s big news.
Lead singer Kris Tennant explains that, as of tonight, Enemies of the State are no more.
He quickly reassures us that, instead, the band will be going forward, with their current line up intact, under the new moniker of Oceans.
The news receives a mixed response from the crowd (let’s be honest, it’s not the most inspired of names), and tellingly the room has begun to quieten, as folks make their way for the exit.
Tennant continues and it becomes apparent that a fair amount of Dutch courage has been imbibed prior to the set.
Unsurprisingly, the crowd are even less enthused by the frontman’s explanation that “Glasgow isn’t big enough” for the band (surely a risky move, given they are playing one of the city’s best loved venues?).
Tennant, perhaps feeling the pressure, follows this with a stumbling analogy involving rollercoasters, so convoluted even I struggle to keep up, despite being on soda water all evening.
Promising bigger and better things, the band launch straight into their new material and it is instantly clear that they are moving in a more mainstream direction.
‘Heartbeat’, the first track from their upcoming EP, while undeniably hooky, is decidedly less weighty than previous offerings.
This contrast is starkly evidenced as the band revert back to play a selection of tracks from the debut album; ‘Julius Caesar’ and ‘Awakening’ are guitar and percussion driven socio-economic commentaries and both are musically tight, politically relevant and a far cry from fuzzy indie-pop.
By this point in the set Tennant appears to have pissed off some of the remaining crowd, security and at least a couple of his band mates.
It is testament to his undeniable raw talent that the frontman’s powerful vocal remains unaffected throughout, despite my growing concern that he may fall headfirst off the stage at any moment.
The band close with ‘Atlas’, an album highlight and personal favourite; this track is anthemic (in the very best sense of the word) even when played through my crappy car speakers, and so, performed live, should blow the roof off.
Tonight, however, despite a light show and the band’s best efforts to rouse the crowd, sadly even this falls flat.
Although Oceans promise that “this is only the beginning” is still ringing in our ears, we leave Tut’s deflated and more than a little disappointed.
Words: Kat McNicol
