Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
The relief of being in a country where all forms of music are given a fair go, are to be congratulated for the feeling of exotic nature they bring to the ears of the local music lover, is to understand that the world is not to be confined to the borders of the North Sea, The English Channel or the coast of Wales and its mountain ranges casting their eye warily over the waters towards Ireland and the United States; music is after all above such petty things as borders and in the express train ride that is South Korea’s ENO G, the feeling of exotic is balanced out by the temptation of sound on offer in the best traditions of funk fusion and heartfelt lyrics.
The music on stage inside the Paul McCartney Auditorium was one that may have been perceived as strange, out of keeping with the day to day offering that comes out of the yearly showcase, however the groove was in full swing, the sentiment never doubted and the mysterious, the glamorous world of other nations musical output but with the twist of hedonistic blend, was one to savour and find love within.
Supported by a great band, one that got the groove immediately and stuck fast to the entitlement of sound, ENO G took the audience inside L.I.P.A. down uncharted waters and one that the only guide available, the only map that could be gleaned upon, was one that led to a veritable land of treasure and unspoken opportunity. If travel broadens the mind then both audience and artist had in a short space of time fulfilled their expectation and were now knowledgeable in the art of mutual companionship and devotion.
With tracks such as All Night, Rolling, Never Let You Go, Oh My God and Outer Space infecting the very veins and conscious of the near baited breath listener, the performance was encapsulated by the dedication to the hundreds who died recently in South Korean ferry disaster, in the song Hanging A Yellow Ribbon and perhaps the feeling of possible friendship that might one day once more exist in the Korean Peninsula.
A set of vibrancy, of cool and grove, ENO G, is a terrific ambassador, not only to his country but the funk genre as a whole; a set of charm and abundant skill, ENO G is a master of deft persuasion.
Ian D. Hall