Enter Shikari are an absolute powerhouse live, and they keep equally frenetic company. In what will sadly be their last tour before taking an indefinite hiatus, Sydney-based Stories opened with an exceptionally tight and enthusiastic set, closing what has no doubt been an incredible journey with a dark, raw power.
UK’s Hacktivist followed suit with a very different kind of energy, but no less impressive – their ability to command a crowd’s utmost attention and inject them with berserk excitement was effortless to succumb to. The anticipation for the main event finally reached detonation point when Enter Shikari’s Rory Clewlow joined them on stage for their final song.
The Redshift Tour felt more manic theater than hardcore gig. A projection screen lit with dichotomies of galaxies and microorganisms swept the audience into their respective scales while poignant, pseudo-documentary voiceovers broadcast tidbits on the magnitude of our species. The serene tranquility of lights and lasers interlocked almost flawlessly into the frantic madness of the setlist, and though there were classics (like crowd favourites Mothership and Sorry You’re Not A Winner), the focus of the night was placed firmly on latest album The Mindsweep. Only amongst others do you truly understand the anthemic core of their catalogue, with the likes of The Last Garrison, theacidic grime of Anaesthetist and (surprisingly) the hilarious audaciousness of anomaly Slipshod taking centre stage.
That cheeky anti-authoritative passion Enter Shikari are known for is still there, but the focus was entirely upon unity – an earnest exploration on defeating humanity’s demons by understanding what connects us – and the audience responded in kind. Amongst the shove of the moshpit was a strange sense of community, and with stretched smiles the audience embraced the band’s antics. There were casualties – a crowdsurfing collision resulted in serious nose-related injury – but at singer Rou Reynolds’ halt, the crowd parted a safe passage to medical attention. There was a supportive applause and a round of shaken hands before resuming play. Between the topical content, Enter Shikari were constantly joking and savouring simple pleasures. Reynolds in particular holds a goofy, animated presence, effortlessly swapping between the whimsy of appreciating the Royal Botanic Gardens to goading the rest of the band into forcing a reluctant Chris Batten to drink beer from a crowdsurfer’s shoe.
The inclusion of the powerful ballad-esque Constellations confirmed the ultimate essence of the evening with a sea of undulating arms – concerned and earnest, but ultimately brimming with hopeful sentiments. A playful, energetic experience.
BY JACOB COLLIVER
LOVED: Bellowing unashamedly to Slipshod.
HATED: Copping a shoe to the face, but hey – revolution comes at a cost.
DRANK: Scotch and cola.
