LIVE REVIEW + PHOTOS: Close Enemies in Nashua, NH (11.08.26)
Close Enemies came out swinging at the Nashua Center for the Arts on Sunday night. They opened with “Rain,” fast and pounding, and if you only listen to one song to understand this band, make it that one. Five guys, one sound, and it looks like five brothers up there.
If you haven’t heard of Close Enemies, here’s how it came together. About three years ago, a group of road-tested players started building something one layer at a time. Tom Hamilton, Aerosmith’s bassist, and Tony Brock, who played drums in The Babys and spent 12 years with Rod Stewart, locked in together, and after that the rest was a given. Peter Stroud (Sheryl Crow, Don Henley) and Trace Foster joined on guitar. Trace spent years as a tech for Aerosmith, AC/DC and the Rolling Stones. Chasen Hampton, a singer from Oklahoma City who’s been performing since he was a kid, auditioned and became the voice that tied it all together. They put out their self-titled debut this spring and have been out on the road ever since.
“Rain” shows you the whole band in one song. The rhythm section drives it hard, and Peter was on fire on guitar. Halfway through, you’re wondering where these guys have been and why they weren’t a band years ago.
“Inside Out” was the jam. The two guitars weave around each other, and Trace got his time to shine next to Tom. You could see how comfortable they are working together, trading looks and feeding off each other like brothers. Behind them, Tony showed everybody how drums are supposed to be played. Every hit was right on the money.
Between songs, Trace and Peter turned out to be the storytellers of the night. Trace has the gift of gab, and so does Peter. They’d step up to the mic, set up the next song, and just talk to us like we were sitting in their living room. With players who’ve been on stages like these for decades, you’d expect polish. What you get is the real thing: easy, funny, and warm. They never rush it, and you hang on every word. By the end, the crowd felt like part of the band’s story.
“Sound of a Train” is the song that introduced this band to the world, their very first single. Live, it rolls along with a classy western feel, steady and driving, like the band is riding the rails. It’s a different color from the opening two songs and shows they aren’t one-note. Go listen and see where it takes you.
Then they went into Aerosmith territory with “Seasons of Wither,” a moody deep cut off Get Your Wings. The crowd warmed all the way up, singing along and air-drumming. The band is from Boston, so Nashua is basically home turf, and you could tell it hit people. This is where Chasen proved himself. Taking on a Steven Tyler song is no small ask, and his vocals came out smooth and confident. People stood and applauded, which you don’t see much. Then Chasen gave Tom his props, and it felt like full circle.
“Battlefield” put Tom and Trace back to back like brothers. Trace was on cloud nine, riffing and owning the stage. This is a guy who spent years behind the scenes keeping the biggest rigs in rock running, and now he’s out front. That’s a long road to get to this moment.
Then came “Midnight Rendezvous,” a Babys classic from the band where our legend Tony came up. Everybody on stage playing it felt like going back in time.
“More Than I Could Ever Need” has a big James Bond opening-credits feel, and it gave Chasen room to show his range. Cinematic, big finish, and he sold every note of it.
Later, Trace took the mic again and told the story of how the band came together. He and Peter bounced off each other like old friends, geeking out over the guys they play with. It’s a joy to watch, because after all, they’re human too. They talked about how Chasen’s audition was the glue that made it all click, and the love they have for him was obvious.
When “Sweet Emotion” hit, the whole room was on its feet, singing out in their own voices. That bass riff is Tom’s, which means the guy who wrote it was standing right there playing it. Then Tony launched into a drum solo. Just when you thought he was done, he kept going. Breathtaking. The man has zero signs of slowing down. They closed with one more Babys classic.
Close Enemies are still new, but classic rock is in good hands. Should I just call them a supergroup?
Photos – Close Enemies at Nashua Center for the Arts in Nashua, NH on November 8th:
