Switches / The Enemy

Tonight eGigs is in Amsterdam, a haven of cultural highs and liberal lows, to see two of Britain’s brightest newcomers – Coventry’s contribution to the lad-rock canon The Enemy and the Weezer-gone-glam West Londoner’s Switches – perform at the beautiful (and massive) Paradiso, as part of the city’s London Calling festival. Dark and broody from the outside, grand and ornate on the inner, this converted church in the middle of the city would be a worthy of tourist-attraction status even if it didn’t have great bands plugging-in on its organ-removed stage.

The Enemy are first on and are received with massive applause. It’s only moments into the first song before the first of a million crowd-surfers climb up on stage one by one, before timidly eyeing up mates to catch them as they dive back in. People are having a great time but it’s far tamer than what you might expect in the UK. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that in this liberal city, where you can go into any coffee shop and freely get mashed off your head, everyone by nature is a hell of a lot more relaxed.

With the swagger of Oasis, The Enemy go down well. During ‘Aggro’ the whole venue claps in time, while demure lead singer Tom wails “Come on Amsterdam, let’s fookin’ havee ittttttttttttttttttt!.” During a riotous ‘It’s Not OK’, bassist Andy hands his instrument over to a guitar tech, before diving into the huge, adoring crowd. Clearly they’re having loads of fun.

But the best moment of their set is ‘Away From Here’, their current single with a catchy, radio-friendly chorus that outshines everything else.

Forty-five minutes and a few half-pints later (yea, they only serve in halves here- they don’t need as much booze as us Brits because they’re all so chilled out from the weed), it’s the turn of Switches to pull out the pomp for the crowd.

Watching from the upper balcony, the entire audience in the stalls jumps in tandem as the band rip out ‘Lay Down The Law’, their current mega-single that’s going to capture the indie disco’s attention for the next six-months at least, or until someone publicly realises they’re just ripping off Franz Ferdinand.

Ripping off or not, it’s no matter, as they put on a brilliant show. Lead singer Matt swings about with camp abandon, while drummer Jimmy’s pounding drum rhythms get everyone dancing.

Overall it does feel different to a British gig. For a start, everyone’s more accepting, there’s not an ounce of aggro to be seen anywhere (well, except maybe with The Enemy giving it large on stage). Secondly, everyone’s more friendly. People are better looking. In fact, if it weren’t for the tame energy at the very front of the mosh pit, I’d safely trade in a gig in London for a gig in Amsterdam any day. And with cheap airline flying back and forth like a glorified bus, maybe you should consider a trip over there too. All you have to worry about is you carbon footprint, yea?

FUTURE GIGS

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