About this Event

In many ways the music industry is like a school playground, a furtive cesspit of name-calling, neupmanship, and competitive jousting. This is particularly true of the UK indie scene where more than one band often vies for the same audience at the same time. Since 2007, the socially anchored, Coventry power rock trio led by lead singer and main songwriter Tom Clarke haven't been afraid to shed a tonne of bravado as a shield for some deep-seeded insecurities – mainly Tom's own personal hang-ups. Considering he called his band The Enemy, the frontman certainly knew how to make a few back in the late '00s, and gave as good as he got. He'd make fun of The Horrors' hair and find himself banned from being played on Alex Zane's XFM rock show. Alex was an avid supporter of the band but Tom just couldn't help himself. The circus surrounding these dramatic episodes resulted in The Enemy having their music overshadowed by meaningless tattle. It's something that Tom today, speaking with hindsight from a carpark outside a studio where he's putting the finishing touches on the band's fourth record in less-than-glamorous Stockport, wants to bury deep in the past…



Over the course of The Enemy's undoubtedly successful run during the best part of a decade, Tom has inevitably had to do some growing up. Alongside his band mates Andy Hopkins (bass) and Liam Watts (drums), he can boast a hat-trick of top-performing records with Number 1 album 'We Live And Die In These Towns', 2008's Number 2 follow-up 'Music For The People' and 2012 release 'Streets In The Sky', which also went Top 10. A source of greater pride, however, its that today he emerges not just more mature, but with a charming sense of humility and open-mindedness. Hearing him talk freely and honestly about how much he loves “genius” James Blunt's Twitter, or how excited he is by the likes of pop artist BORNS being played on Huw Stephens' Radio 1 show, immediately throws off any misconceptions surrounding the tricky fella. He's less guarded, more confident in his own skin, and therefore extremely good company.