Posts Tagged ‘Enter Shikari’
Enter Shikari – Hammersmith Apollo
February 21st, 2010 by RBREnter Shikari w/ Rolo Tomassi and The King Blues
Hammersmith Apollo
12th February 2010
Kids have been queing for at least three or four hours now. I knew Enter Shikari was popular, but I didn’t expect this kind of response. Still, for me it’s always a good sign of an evening to come when you see that the front row is willing to stand in the biting wind just to be up against the metal.
Opening the evening is the hugely underrated experimental math core group Rolo Tomassi. Led by the wraithlike Eva Spence the band play a brief set including fan favourites like Abraxas and I Love Turbulence as well as the new track French Motel. After seeing them in the Fighting Cocks earlier in the week I am inclined to say that they still need to work on their stage presence before trying to hit the really large venues. In smaller venues they slay the audience, but it all felt a little detached at the Hammersmith.
Following this is London’s The King Blues. The basic trio are fleshed out into a full band for tonight’s set which draws heavily from their second album ‘Save the world get the girl’. Their songs really fill the venue and set the party atmosphere alight with Itch leading the five thousand strong crowd in a anti-bnp chant. Although the motivations are good, I couldn’t help but wonder how many people in the crowd are actually old enough to vote.
Backlit by a light set up which probably used a small forest’s worth of electricity every song Enter Shikari take to the stage. Although you wouldn’t guess it, vocalist Rou Reynold’s had been previously banned from speaking on health grounds prior to the show. It was clearly for the best as he whips the crowd into a frenzy. Opening with the title track of their newest album, Common Dreads, they go on to rip through a set drawing heavily on older material, only taking a second to introduce the new track ‘Thumper’ off Tribalism. The highlight for me was The King Blues joining Shikari for Fanfare For The Conscious Man before finishing the set with Ok, Time for Plan B. Returning to the stage to play Enter Shikari and Juggernauts, I can confidently say that no fan had been left disappointed or sweat less by what they experienced tonight.
Words and Photos: Richard Heaven
Enter Shikari – Tribalism
February 12th, 2010 by RBREnter Shikari
Tribalism
Enter Shikari bridge the gap between the second and yet-to-be released third album with the compilation Tribalism. Consisting of four live tracks, seven remix’s and four new tracks, it really is a mixed back.
The new tracks are what you would expect from Enter Shikari – high energy synth lines and shouted vocals. They don’t really tread any new ground for the band but they do showcase their lyrical growth and ongoing musical maturity.
Despite their flatness, the live tracks show what the band are capable of when given a crowd to whip into shape, a fact which the producers didn’t chose to ignore. Some people will find the inclusion of the screaming crowd a little distracting while others will enjoy it’s ambience – I am one of the latter. The highlight has to be their live cover of ‘Insomnia’ – when that iconic line kicks in it’s is difficult to resist becoming a follower, even just for three minutes.
However, it is the remixes which kill this release. Out of seven remixes, four are of No Sleep Tonight and two are Juggernauts. While each carriers it’s individual sound and merits, I can’t help to think that this is just plain lazy. With two albums and numerous EP’s to crop material from, the fact that they only used a total of three songs for remixes brings the whole release down. Multiple remixes of the same track? Leave it to the singles.
Overall, it’s a solid release that will keep the Shikari fans happy. It may win a few new fans over, but I doubt it will impact the music scene as much as their previous two albums. The remixes really interrupt the flow of the overall album and the track listing could be improved, but overall it’s an enjoyable album.
Words: Richard Heaven
Enter Shikari Release Video For ‘Thumper’
January 28th, 2010 by RBREnter Shikari have released the official video for ‘Thumper’, the first single taken from album ‘Tribalism’ out next month.
The new album follows hot on the heels of some of Enter Shikari’s biggest headline shows to date.
The full dates are as follows:
Saturday 6th Feb – BLACKPOOL – Empress Ballroom
Sunday 7th Feb – GLASGOW – Barrowlands
Monday 8th Feb – GLASGOW – King Tuts (SOLD OUT)
Tuesday 9th Feb – MIDDLESBROUGH – Empire
Thursday 11th Feb – BOURNEMOUTH – O2 Academy
Friday 12th Feb – LONDON – Hammersmith Apollo
(support on all dates – except King Tuts – The King Blues).
Enter Shikari new single ‘Thumper’ revealed
January 20th, 2010 by Sophie
Enter Shikari release brand new single ‘Thumper’ on February 14th taken from new album ‘Tribalism’.
Radio 1 presenter Zane Lowe, chose the new single as his Hottest Record In The World on air last night, where it had it’s very first play anywhere.
If you didn’t catch it live you can hear the track in its entirety below!
Enter Shikari also head out on a UK from February 6th, full dates are as follows:
Saturday 6th Feb – BLACKPOOL – Empress Ballroom
Sunday 7th Feb – GLASGOW – Barrowlands
Monday 8th Feb – GLASGOW – King Tuts (SOLD OUT)
Tuesday 9th Feb – MIDDLESBROUGH – Empire
Thursday 11th Feb – BOURNEMOUTH – O2 Academy
Friday 12th Feb – LONDON – Hammersmith Apollo
(support on all dates – except King Tuts – The King Blues)
Enter Shikari Announce Christmas Hometown Show
October 14th, 2009 by ClaireEnter Shikari is pleased to announce a (nearly) hometown show to celebrate christmas a bit early.
SATURDAY 19th DECEMBER – HATFIELD Herts Uni Forum
14+
4pm doors!
2 rooms.
Afterparty til 3am (18+).
Check out the rest of the tour on myspace!
Enter Shikari announce biggest UK shows to date
October 1st, 2009 by SophieFollowing their European headline tour in January, Enter Shikari have announced that they will be embarking on their biggest UK shows to date hitting:
6.02.2010 – Blackpool Empress Ballroom
12.02.2010 – London Hammersmith Apollo
Tickets available from 9am, 30th Sept at -
www.crowdsurge.com/entershikari
