Fresh from the release of their latest album ‘The Spark’, Enter Shikari bring the accompanying tour to Newcastle’s Metro Radio Arena.
Asteroid Boys open things up tonight, with their breed of grime-meets-rock doing a reasonable job of warming up the crowd. As competent as the six-piece are, the overall package feels somewhat lacking, which is forgivable for a band this early in their career.
Any slight momentum gained from the previous band is very much lost as Lower Than Atlantis take to the stage. Their radio-friendly rock loses the audience’s attention with a set that consists of unimaginative songwriting, dull stage presence and a general look of disinterest from band and audience alike.
The same cannot be said for Enter Shikari, however, as from the moment they take to the stage it’s apparent that we’re witnessing a band that have honed their craft and, in return, become one of the most vital live acts in rock/alternative music today.
Cuts from the new album, such as ‘The Sights’ and ‘Take my Country Back’, sit alongside setlist mainstays, as the 360-sound allows the bands’ electronic elements to whirl and thump around the room with dizzying consequences.
The vibe then takes a different direction as Rou and Rob appear on a smaller stage in the sound booth and tackle the piano-driven ballad, ‘Airfield’ – a bold move for a band whose live sets are notoriously energetic.
As all four members return to the main stage, the big guns of the Shikari back catalogue are very much brought out for the final stretch. ‘Sorry you’re not a Winner’ still sounds as innovative as it did ten plus years from its release; ‘The Last Garrison’ showcases quintessential Enter Shikari songwriting and ‘Zzzonked’ causes absolute chaos and whips the crowd into a mosh/raving frenzy. An encore of ‘Redshift’ and ‘Live Outside’ round off a triumphant night for one of the leading lights in the current alternative scene.
