Enter Shikari - Live at The Bull & Gate

____ To describe Enter Shikari's style is one difficult task : metalcore, post-hardcore, electronicore ... You're lost? Well, so are we.
And they're not really helping : acoustic guitars, brass section, synths, korgs ... So let's just say that Enter Shikari's style is 'Enter Shikari-core'.

____ Last sunday night, the four St Albans boys were playing at The Bull & Gate, small venue with an average capacity of 150 people only. Result : sold-out in less than 30 minutes. Not surprising. One must admit that the quartet is at its peak at the moment: with a third album (Ed. 'A Flash Flood Of Colour') critically acclaimed, the number of fans is massively increasing (498.564 to date on Facebook).

____ It is, therefore, in a very crowded room that moshpits and other 'stage-dives' will happen for about an hour . The singer, Rou Reynolds (picture below), warned us : tonight, there's neither security, nor barriers. Unsurprisingly, three quarters of the public thus found themselves on stage. Which greatly amused the band by the way, and never mind  if we lose or break a few microphones in the battle.

____ Composed of remixes, jams, and even tributes (Ed. Rory Clewlow, guitarist, playing 'I Will Always Love You' by Whitney Houston), the setlist is a perfect blend of the three albums, however, the last one put forward , with 'Mate Gandhi, Gandhi ', or 'Arguing With Thermometers', amongst others. And looking more closely, we find that their new songs are more advanced, more sought after. Making music is good. Making music that makes people think is better. Enter Shikari care about the messages they want to convey to their fans. Messages that are very often turned to politics and environment.

And by looking at all these young people on stage,  throwing then themselves passionately in the crowd, one can really wonder if they really care about the words. But it doesn't really matter in the end, since everyone seems to be having the time of their lives.

 

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_ The gig comes to an end, and drops of sweat are falling from the ceiling, reminding us how hot it is in that little room. We are all stuck together, sweating from head to toe, loudly cheering our heroes (with a preference for 'Rory fucking C', which makes 'Batty fucking C' quite jealous, by the way). Bodies are aching, bruises are appearing, but it was definitely worth not going to work the morning after.

Johanna Rose Giudice