WORDS WILL MAXWELL / IMAGES JOE JONES
Two thousand fans pack the Mountford Hall, Liverpool for a special intimate gig by post-hardcore heroes, Enter Shikari
Opening up are Teenage Wrist. The alt-rock duo from Los Angeles, California, warm up the crowd with a 45-minute set of catchy, atmospheric rock. Marshall Gallagher (vocals, guitar) and Anthony Salazar (drums) are joined by touring band members Jordan Kulp (guitar) and Jose Trujillo (bass) to help carry their immersive sound over to a live setting. Soaring guitars and clean melodies make this an enjoyable opening, with the grungy “Stoned, Alone” and the punchy “Earth Is A Black Hole” the standouts.
Chants of “Ohh Enter Shikari” circle around the room long before their arrival on stage. As the lights go out, huge cheers erupt as the St Albans boys get the set going with “Bloodshot”.
This tour is taking in smaller venues and towns and cities that are usually missed. Having played an Arena tour earlier this year, including a triumphant sell-out gig at Wembley Arena, it’s a real treat to see them back in a smaller venue. This two-thousand-capacity venue in the heart of Liverpool University is packed full of true hardcore Shikari devotees, with virtually everyone in band merch and a queue stretching back to the entrance for those wanting to buy more.
Rou Reynolds (vocals), Rory Clewlow (guitar), Chris Batten (bass), and Rob Rolfe (drums) have an infectious energy that the crowd feeds off. The dazzling LED stage lighting and the reverberation from the speakers that is shaking my entire body make this feel like an all-out assault on the senses.
Rou encourages fans to get on someone else’s shoulders during “The Dreamers Hotel”, with many immediately obliging. The feeling in the room is already euphoric.
Never ones to hide away from political topics, “Arguing With Thermometers” tackles climate change deniers, whilst “Destabilise” encapsulates all the different styles of music that they create, which makes them hard to pin down to a specific genre. Elements of hardcore, metal, dance and dubstep blend beautifully in a way that few can manage or would dare to achieve.
Some technical issues mean a slight reshuffling of the setlist, with the iconic “Sorry, You’re Not A Winner” causing even more chaos in the crowd, with the mosh pits and crowd surfing in full flow.
The inspirational “The Last Garrison” keeps the feel-good vibes flowing whilst the visuals are cranked up a notch for “Leap Into The Lightning”. Rory crowd surfs during “The Jester”, adding to the feeling of rowdiness not only created by the fans, but by Rou, who patrols the stage all evening.
Last year’s release, A Kiss For The Whole World, dominates the setlist. Proving how engaged the fanbase are, tracks like “Goldfish”, “Giant Pacific Octopus (i dont know you anymore)” and “Dead Wood” receive the same reaction as old favourites. That’s particularly clear on “Goldfish”, with its cheery chorus chanted by all.
The more traditional Shikari style “Mothership” and “Radiate” bring the set to a close, before they return for an encore of the upbeat “Stop The Clocks” and “A Kiss For The Whole World x”, the perfect bookend to this epic set.
Whether it’s an Arena, a Main Stage at a festival, or a small sweaty room like this, Enter Shikari prove once again that they are one of the most exhilarating live acts around.
SET LIST
1/ Bloodshot
(with Shikari Sound System remix)
2/ Antwerpen
3/ { The Dreamer’s Hotel }
4/ Arguing With Thermometers
5/ Destabilise
6/ Anything Can Happen in the Next Half Hour…
7/ Sorry, You’re Not a Winner
(original into Pendulum remix)
8/ The Last Garrison
9/ Leap into the Lightning
10/ THE GREAT UNKNOWN
11/ goldfĭsh ~
(with Shikari Sound System remix)
12/ The Jester
(partial)
13/ Dead Wood
14/ Giant Pacific Octopus (i don’t know you anymore)
15/ Mothership
16/ Radiate
Encore:
17/ Stop the Clocks
18/ A Kiss for the Whole World x
FOLLOW ENTER SHIKARI
FOLLOW TEENAGE WRIST
My life is a soundtrack, i track my life through music, photography is my passion, my escape, my expression. Without both i have pieces missing, thankfully i’m blessed and get to combine both.
Born in Manchester, lived in Australia for 22 years where i was heavily involved in the Australian Music Industry, firstly in bands (Singer) and then managing bands (all original), I moved back to the UK, Wales specifically 10 years ago
