Despite promoting new album Pull The Pin, this gig seemed more like a greatest hits runthrough.
It was the songs from the band's first two albums, Word Gets Around and Performance And Cocktails, which really got the crowd going. A Thousand Trees, Just Looking, Pick A Part That's New and More Life In A Tramp's Vest all sounded great, while Mr Writer from Just Enough Education To Perform was also given a good workout.
The band left singer/guitarist and main man Kelly Jones alone to "wing it" through a medley of tunes in the middle of the set because they couldn't decide which songs to leave out.
If nothing else, it served as a reminder that the Stereophonics back-catalogue would be worth another listen. The new stuff, too, sounded OK, although Pull The Pin might need another few listens yet.
At times it appeared as though the band were going through the motions. It was only towards the end, as the band finished with Local Boy In The Photograph followed by an encore of new single It Means Nothing and Dakota that it seemed they were finally enjoying themselves.
Meanwhile support band The Enemy seemed to have all the passion of a band who haven't yet made their millions. The Brighton Centre crowd packed in to catch the band, who were promoting their album We'll Live And Die In These Towns.
At times they were trying a bit too hard to be The Jam, but the catchy tunes like Had Enough and the album's title track left me looking forward to seeing where they go next.
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