By Akira Sidana, Fourth Year French & Spanish
The group’s penultimate show in their first stretch of the A Kiss for the Whole World UK tour was an absolute banger to say the least. If you didn’t catch them this time around, you’ll be pleased to hear that they will be in Bristol again in March and April.
The crowd was sufficiently amped up by opening acts Blackout Problems and Noahfinnce; alt-rockers specially selected by Enter Shikari themselves. Opening with '(pls) set me on fire', a track to scream to, confetti came raining down on everyone as the headliner’s front-man Rou Reynolds declared his desire to transcend. The energy that Shikari brought to the stage was incredible and it’s safe to say they put on a real show as far as their lighting, sound, vibes, and impeccable moves were concerned.
SWX’s security team were no match for Mr. Reynolds as they chased after him clambering around on the balcony railings above the unsuspecting crowd below, performing both The Void Stares Back and new single, 'It Hurts'. Whilst potentially dangerous, it did provide an extra rebellious feel to compliment the already raging music.
Enter Shikari are known for their quick-fire round, which on this occasion included the fan-favourite 'Sorry, You’re Not a Winner' – a true emo anthem. Through performing a collection of their older works, including songs from Take to the Skies and Common Dreads alongside that of newer albums like The Spark, they demonstrated that as a band they’ve evolved over time but are not afraid to pay homage to their heavier roots and their loyal following. Shikari have explored a multitude of genres throughout their presence on the scene, ranging from heavy metal and post-hardcore to electronic rock; their most recent LP Nothing is True & Everything is Possible being categorised as art rock.
Unfortunately, as a huge fan of that album, only two tunes from that era made an appearance in the encore: 'satellites* *' and '{ The Dreamer’s Hotel }'. Though I will say that I was initially a little disappointed with the lack of selection from Nothing is True, the gig was formulated in the best way possible that it could’ve been to create a show which appealed to all fans. For me, it just meant that the best was saved ‘til last.
Enter Shikari’s new album A Kiss for the Whole World will be released on April 21st 2023. If you love musicians who don’t confine themselves within any specific boundaries and whose music flows through your veins and scratches that specific part of your brain that you can’t describe, then I highly encourage you to check them out – particularly in person!
Featured image: Chuff Media
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