IT MAY not have been Saturday, but The Enemy and their fans put maximum effort into a near sellout gig in Bournemouth on Thursday.

With their almost spiritual devotion, a big part of the audience was also a big part of the show.

Lead singer Tom Clarke saluted the crowd for their eagerness. There were crazy scenes at the front and dancing on the tables at the back.

The band was on top form too. They may now all have new shorter haircuts, but some things don’t change and their three-minute indie songs came thick and fast.

Their number one album, We’ll Live and Die in These Towns, and their most recent hit, Streets in the Sky, show why they have had nearly nine years of success.

If singer-guitarists Clarke and Andy Hopkins lead fearlessly from the front, then it is hard-working drummer Liam Watts who is busy in the band’s engine room.

Top five single Had Enough was played early and was soon followed by other favourites such as Saturday, Away From Here and You’re Not Alone.

The Enemy’s newer songs still reflect the way we live now, but they also have a new optimism that was not always seen in their early work. It is morning again in the Midlands for this Coventry trio.

The group are festival favourites, but it is still a treat to see them at superb venues like this. They are close to their fans and still close to where it all started.

Birmingham’s The Twang and Jaws completed an impressive triple bill.

A new album from The Enemy is set for release later this year. A new tune, Magic, had a welcome early preview.

One of the band’s songs is called It’s a Race. The good news is that with performances like this one The Enemy are still forging ahead of the pack.

This is a proper band with proper fans.

RICHARD DERBYSHIRE