Friday October 7,  2011 

Review and photography by Frances Roach

 Support from: Your Demise, letlive.

 After spending the majority of the summer out of the country and opting for an American summer on the road via the Vans Warped Tour, Enter Shikari are finally back on English soil, promising sold-out nights of absolute insanity. With a rather stellar lineup of bands on the bill, this tour is not for the faint hearted. Blood, sweat and bruises are an anticipated outcome, and crowd-goers were certainly far from disappointment.

 Opening the show are Californian progressive post-hardcore quintet letlive. who have been quickly gaining much recognition across the UK and Europe over recent months, and by the energy during their live set, it’s not hard to see why. Frontman Jason Aalon Butler’s immediate presence on stage captivates the majority of the audience who are new to the letlive. experience, showing the punters how he is worthy of his recent (and controversial) #1 spot on Kerrang! Magazine’s ‘50 Greatest Rockstars In The World Today’ cover story. Displaying their best songs from 2010’s album ‘Fake History’, the audience are pumped.

Next up is Brighton five-piece Your Demise,  who are eager to pick up the pace. As they kick into their set, it is apparent that quite a large section of the crowd may have come for this homegrown band. Circle pits from side to side emerge as Ed McRae and co. burst through their live favourites, ‘Shine On’, ‘Miles Away’ and ultimately round up the set with ‘The Kids We Used To Be’. By now, it feels like that could have been the entire show in itself and kids would leave happy, but they still regain more than enough energy to witness what’s yet to come.

Enter: Shikari. In the newly refurbished 1920’s theatre, the HMV Ritz is tested to its ultimate safety limits, as the the headlining band take over and the 1500-strong crowd erupts. Opening with ‘Destabilise’, the energetic pace continues with high consistency as the Hertfordshire four-piece belt out crowd favourites ‘Zzzonked’, ‘Havoc A’ and ‘Return To Energiser’.

 Choosing to play smaller venues on this tour, they are eager to give back to the loyal home fan base who are keen for new music. This eagerness to provide fresh sounds is apparent as they include new songs taken from their upcoming 2012 release, ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’, churning out likely future favourites ‘Arguing With Thermometers’ and ‘Sssnakepit’.

Crowd participation is at its fullest- reminiscent to those that the band have witnessed at their Reading & Leeds festival slots over the last 3 years. Strobe lighting was also at it’s extreme, almost to the point of near blindness, adding to the notion that you are part of one big rave. Any form of air-con was sparse, heat rising to the ceiling and not a single dry brow in the building.

Now, with a newly announced Spring 2012 tour with fellow Brits Young Guns, Enter Shikari show total control and no signs of slowing.

5/5

TICKET FOR THE SPRING 2012 TOUR CAN BE FOUND HERE.