Few things in life are as reliable as Electric Six. Detroit’s finest come around with more regularity than a bus service in Mid Wales, and a mere six months after MetalTalk saw them take O2 Academy Islington by storm, the band are here in the UK again.
Electric Six – Enjoyable Listens
Tramshed, Cardiff – 11 July 2025
Words And Photography: Paul Hutchings
Tonight, it is the finale of another clutch of UK dates, and despite the ferocious heat, it is evident from the opening bars that Electric Six are in fine form. 
Fair play to the audience, who engage with the band from the start. The venue is melting, literally, but there are mosh pits that swirl throughout the show, plenty of dancing and singing along and generally the hugely good time feel that we get at an E6 show.
It is even more to the audience’s credit tonight that they have turned up in such numbers, for there is the added challenge of the Stereophonics playing literally next door at the Principality Stadium.
The first of two sold-out shows this poses logistical complications for those on public transport and greater congestion for all. But for those who went to the right show, the 90 minutes that the band simply blast is a joyous experience that leaves us happy and dripping with perspiration.
Tonight, Electric Six are as good as I have ever seen them.
They continue a theme that is rapidly emerging in 2025. Legacy bands, new bands, and cover bands all seem to be inspired to raise their game to a new level.
I have seen Dick Valentine and his crew many times since Fire was released over 22 years ago, and tonight they hit every high they can. Tighter than a sailor’s knot, they ease their way into the set with a mixture of songs old and new.
It is not a million miles away from their December show that we covered, but there are some subtle changes that allow the aficionados contentment and the right to nod sagely.
For many, Electric Six are all about the raucous Gay Bar, and whilst it is their fan favourite, and kicks off the first real pit action, there are, as I’ve said before, plenty of better songs in their arsenal.
The new material sits splendidly alongside classics like Naked Pictures (Of Your Mother), the explosive She’s White, and the chaos of Synthesiser.
Electric Six are in synch, harmonious, and somehow able to keep suit jackets on in the main throughout the show without melting.
We have eulogised about this band many times before, but they never get old. Valentine leads the band with his usual dry humour, but this is a cohesive unit whose success is down to their collective output.
It is unsurprising that they attract one of the most eclectic audiences you will see, with the Metalheads mixing with punks, indie kids and the general gig-going public, who are clear that this is a night worth the travel hassles caused by the band from Cwmaman.
The boys are back in the winter across the UK. As I said, after their last tour, you have the opportunity, so take it. 
Enjoyable Listens
Opening for Electric Six is a challenge. A real challenge. It does not matter how good you are, the audience is here for one band, and it ain’t yours.
Regardless, Enjoyable Listens do their bit, engage well with the building crowd, and finish with a huge ovation. 
Two men and a laptop may not be the most scintillating prospect, but Enjoyable Listens do more than you might expect. Described as ‘The uber eats of the pop industry’, the duo is led by singer Luke Duffett, who is really the band. It began as a solo project, and the Londoner does not hold back. 
Clad in a cream suit, he is supremely confident and, alongside his bassist/programmer, delivers a 30-minute set of enjoyable alt-rock and pop.
His lyrics are humorous and irreverent and hold the attention. By the time he and his bassist (“play the song”) hit Drowning In The Reef, they had captured the attention of most in the venue.
Fun, enthusiastic and above all watchable, Enjoyable Listens might just have grabbed a couple of new fans tonight, as well as in other parts of the UK.
