The music industry is a constantly changing landscape, and artists have to adapt to survive. No longer do we see labels pumping huge amounts of financial support into their artists. In this day and age, it’s a hard slog.
Bands like Enuf Z’Nuff have been around long enough to have seen life on both sides of the fence. And by frontman Chip Z’Nuff’s admittance, it’s not like the old days, you’ve got to hit the street and play for everybody.
The veteran rockers are currently celebrating the 30th anniversary of their self-titled debut release. This being an album that produced a whole raft of MTV hits for the Chicago based outfit. And now 20 albums deep into their careers they find themselves climbing the Billboard charts once again with their latest record Diamond Boy. This being the group’s most commercially successful record in some time.
Following tours across the US with the likes of Vince Neil and Ace Frehley, the band returned to the UK this past weekend to top the bill at HRH Sleaze in Sheffield. Despite this, having established a relationship with Trillians Rock Bar over the years, the group squeezed in a last-minute date at one of Newcastle’s favourite watering holes for an intimate show in the heart of Tyneside.
During the evening the quartet takes the Geordie rock fraternity through a retrospective set that covered all of the bases. And the Trillians stage could barely contain the band, whose high energy performance, often resulted in original guitarist Alex Kane or Chip himself venturing into the crowd to play mere inches away from the fans. This, in turn, reinforced the up close and personal nature of the show.
Tracks like the frantic Kiss The Clown, and the thunderous Heaven and Hell certainly hit the spot at the top of the set. Whilst an incredible airing of Diamond Boy made it easy to understand why the band’s latest offering has been so successful for Enuf Z’nuff.
Of course, the band has struck a chord with their UK audience over the last 30 years. But Chip declares don’t invite him round your house or he may never leave. And by his admittance he is also partial to the British dish Shepherd’s Pie – an unlikely addition to the band’s tour rider in future maybe?
In The Groove leads into a jam which allows a spot of showmanship between guitarist Tory Stoffregen and Chip who collectively take a solo whilst Tory polishes off a bottle of red wine. But to be fair, the whole band is collectively on fire all night long. As they have been touring relentlessly, the band are impeccable form, or as Chip would put it they are ‘tighter than a frog’s ass’. And the Trillians crowd would agree to that sentiment.
The band give a nod to the late great David Bowie with a superb cover of Jean Genie, before the infectious melody of Wheels casts as spell over the Newcastle audience.
The latter stages of the show are reserved for the band’s smash hits. With back to back airings of Fly High Michelle featuring backing vocals from The Last of the Great Dreamers. Before the anthemic New Thing leads us towards an explosive finale. The latter of which is still a favourite on Planet Rock Radio here in the UK today. The US-based quartet closes out their set proper with World Is A Gutter.
With a career spanning 30 years, Enuf Z’Nuff are still going strong and showing no signs of slowing down.
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Enuff Z’Nuff
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Event Date: 04-Sept-2019