2015.11.24 – Capital FM Arena, Nottingham, England

Date: 24th November 2015
Event: The Prodigy Concert – The Day Is My Enemy Tour
Venue: Capital FM Arena
City: Nottingham
Country: England
Support: Public Enemy

Tracklist:
1. Breathe
2. Nasty
3. Omen
4. Wild Frontier
5. Firestarter
6. Roadblox
7. Rok-weiler
8. The Day Is My Enemy
9. Beyond The Deathray
10. Voodoo People
11. Get Your Fight On
12. Run With The Wolves
13. Everybody In The Place
14. Invaders Must Die
15. Smack My Bitch Up
Encore:
16. Ibiza (feat. Jason Williamson)
17. Their Law
18. Wall Of Death
19. Take Me To The Hospital

Extra info:
Review by Dave Straw:
To many, The Prodigy and Public Enemy might not have been seen as natural bedfellows in 2015. Both controversial and divisive in their formative years, that both outfits have stood the test of time and share in an UK-wide arena tour should be celebrated in itself.
For a hip hop outfit much loved for their influence and impact, it’s refreshing to see Public Enemy sounding so relevant, and pleasing such a large number of people. Whether it’s new additions Lost In Space Music or Man Plans God Laughs, or reclining into the classics – Bring The Noise, Fight The Power and 31 Flavors, Chuck D, Flava Flav and the ten other bodies on stage provide an exercise in playing to their strengths, and enjoying it.
Ending with an impassioned speech from Flav touching on racism, separatism and ultimately unity, it’s impossible to ignore the bigger picture. Where on another occasion it might have seemed excessive, the current, wider backdrop allows a huge sense of unity, and it’s duly celebrated.
With an arsenal of hits as expansive as The Prodigy, it’s easy to imagine lengthy debates about the best way to open their set. Established favourite? New single? Fan favourite? You can almost hear them cave in and say ‘oh sod it, let’s just play Breathe, Nasty and Omen back to back, shall we?’
Frankly, it’s so good it’s almost not fair.
As expected, there’s a heavy focus on material from new record The Day Is My Enemy, with the title track and Wild Frontier more than standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their more established cuts. Such is the strength of The Prodigy’s recent output, that it allows them to casually toss genre-defining classics like Firestarter with an almost irritating nonchalance.
Maxim, clearly wanting more during Road Blox, disappears into the crowd only to emerge satisfied a few minutes later on the other side of the arena. If Maxim is the ice-cool ying, then Keith Flint is the calculated, erratic yang. Spitting fire lyrically in his delivery, Flint still carries some almost tangible threat in his presence, and even from across the arena it’s possible to see the whites of his wild eyes in and amongst a sea of extravagant lighting.
Ten minutes later it’s hard to tell in the Voodoo People-incited swirling mass of bodies, whether the haze is smoke, sweat or dust from stamping feet. It makes for a stunning visual spectacle, regardless. Even Liam Howlett, the understated genius of The Prodigy, allows himself a smile between orchestrating 90 minutes of the very finest heavy music.
They even crown Invaders Must Die with a We Will Rock You-style clapping call, a fitting hat tip to Freddie Mercury on the 24th anniversary of his death.
If main set-closing Smack My Bitch Up was an exercise in anvil-heavy joyous aggression, beginning the encore with Ibiza’s vitriolic poseur-destroying rhetoric feels like a Stanley knife to the eyeball. They’re even joined by the Sleaford Mods for the track – mirroring the album – and their presence on stage for one song only is equal parts icing on the cake and a further spit in the face.
There’s no question that The Prodigy triggered a cultural shift in mainstream music, and spawned a generation who still look to the elder statesmen for their cues. What their imitators won’t admit though, is what’s blindingly obvious. Even now, 25 years since their inception, The Prodigy are probably still the most forward thinking, cutting edge and exciting band on this planet.

Poster: