Live

Enjoy Destroy, My Vitriol

Ross Cunningham 17/11/2008

A Wednesday night in Glasgow's Stereo heralded the first night of the long anticipated return to the road of My Vitriol. The place was already packed when we arrived just before eight in time to see second support act Enjoy Destroy. The band had the unenviable task of playing to a room of people who were obviously there for the sole purpose of seeing Som and the boys (and girl) play in Scotland for the first time in years. So it looked like the challenge for Freddie Armstrong fronted Enjoy Destroy was definitely going to be an uphill battle.

That battle started with climbing onto the high stage via the tiny staircase to the left, picking up their instruments Freddie instantly tried to get a response from the crowd. Introducing himself and the band he shouted to everyone: 'Scoot forward please - What are you scared?. Unfortunately no one really took him up on the offer leaving a big gap between the band and crowd to suck in the atmosphere. With a sound that has been likened to Biffy Clyro and Foo Fighters, I'd personally place them more in the company of alt rock upstarts Fightstar. The riffs and melodies are there, in the moments without any vocals you can see why the Biffy comparisons have been made, but vocally they have a much rawer, more acerbic bite to them and lack some of the finesse and songwriting experience of the Scottish band. Freddie was extremely animated and talkative between songs doing his best to make a connection with the audience. After playing previous single Screamer, his patience seemed to give a little as he offered: 'I seem to have lost my voice shouting at the crowd and it should really be the other way around.' New single Rifles closed the set with a rapturous bang as the band threw everything they had into one final attempt to win over the crowd and draw them forward from the bar.

Freddie finished with a cordial goodnight saying: 'We're going to leave the stage for My Vitriol, now but we've enjoyed this a lot. Cheers.' I get the feeling that this was maybe through politeness rather than actual enjoyment. To another crowd on another day I have absolutely no doubt that Enjoy Destroy's set would have been an absolute triumph, but tonight unfortunately for various reasons it just seemed rather average.