Tuesday March 11, 2003, Leeds, UK
Wednesday March 12, 2003, Glasgow, UK
Whilse Liars and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs might be getting heaps more hype
for their smart 21st century punktones, Enon are perhaps the sparkiest
and most advanced New York band mashing the creaky boards right now.
With John Schmersal from the awesome Brainiac as guitar-plunkin'
synth-stabbin' pivot, there was always going to be great tunes at the
heart of their technological attack. The current trio has solidified
into one of the coolest punk party bands on the planet. Drummer Matt
Schulz is actually the cousin of Tyler Trent from Brainiac and looks
like the bastard stickchild of Tyler and Shellac's Todd Trainer as he
beats eleven shades of robotic crappola out of the skins. Toko Yasuda
used to play in Blonde Redhead, but now has found her sweet voice as
John's beau and foil, singing almost as many songs as him and switching
quickly from bass to synth and back again. In Leeds they didn't quite
ignite the night but Glasgow the next day was a bouncier exciting ride,
even if the "Rubber Car" had left its wheels spinning in the Cockpit.
Two new songs bode well for the next album due this Fall, but the set
was comprised mostly of songs from their Touch and Go album High Society, bolstered by a couple of cuts from Believo!
and that weird ass elusive Sub Pop single. Highlights are the hard
rockin' "Old Dominions" with it's drastically precise slowed down coda,
and "Biofeedback" where John raps silly and stalks off into the crowd
to deliver surreal ring modulated messages to revellers. The big
surprise was a real burnin' cover of the Gun Club's "Sex Beat" in
Glasgow, with Toko on the mike rushing about like a lady with the fire
of love in her pants! But my favourite memory will be of the pleasant
surprise of hearing them storm off with a noise rock finale to my
favourite song from their first album, "Conjugate the Verbs." Matt was
all over the kit in joyful abandon as John did his best to blow his
stacks. Don't miss the chance to wave your fingers in the air as the Enon tour
continues across Europe. Be sure to take some extra cash for the clutch
of quality singles and compilations they bring, which can prove tricky
to track down in record shops.
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