It’s Bank Holiday Monday and The Prodigy make a welcome return to Tyneside for the opening night of The Day Is My Enemy UK tour.
Having played the Metro Radio Arena several times previously, The Prodigy are no strangers to Newcastle. Subsequently, tonight the band swapped arenas and festivals for a much more rare and intimate affair at the O2 Academy.
Obviously, choosing a smaller venue meant that the demand for tickets was high. The tickets were sold out almost immediately. Despite the size of the venue, the band still managed to bring with them a huge production in tow for their The Day Is My Enemy UK tour.
The Prodigy has its origins in the dance scene of the early 90’s, but as the years have progressed, they have crossed over to be what you would best describe electronic rock with some punk elements thrown into the mix.
During the mid-90s, the founding members of The Prodigy, Liam Howlett, Keith Flint, and Maxim, added live guitars and drums to the band giving them a more diverse yet heavier sound. Their sound was so much heavier, the band were invited to headline Download Festival in 2012 alongside Black Sabbath and Metallica.
The crowd tonight was eclectic. Fans wearing luminous face paint and glow sticks stood alongside others wearing Machine Head t-shirts. The Prodigy united people from all walks of life for the love of music.
The room was packed and the anticipation was palpable. The crowd was already dancing before the band took the stage as some big beats were played over a larger than life PA. Then, The Prodigy took the stage. Liam Howlett saluted the crowd as he took his position behind his console, Maxim in a fur hooded waistcoat, and Keith Flint in a trench coat and forces style hat.
Guitarist Rob Holliday climbed on top of Leo’s drum kit as they launched straight in the classic “Breathe” from their 1997 album Fat of the Land. The floor bounced and the crowd loved every minute of it. Keith and Maxim commanding the stage, engaging the crowd as they dropped straight into “Nasty” from their latest offering. The unmistakable opening riff of “Omen” sent the crowd into a frenzy. They bounced and hung on every word of the chorus.
The band’s eighteen-track set was largely taken from The Day Is My Enemy as audience would expect being their latest album interspersed with old favorites like “Firestarter,” “Voodoo People,” and “Smack My Bitch Up.”
It’s difficult to imagine The Prodigy playing such intimate shows in future, those who were fortunate enough to get a ticket for the show this evening got to witness a rare treat.
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