Enter Shikari live at Rock City, Nottingham

In the year that rock was once again proclaimed dead, let me assure you that on the evidence of watching Enter Shikari live that is most certainly nothing more than a fallacy.

After forming in 2003 and unusually being named after both frontman Roughton Reynolds’ uncle’s boat and a character he wrote in a play, St. Albans, foursome Enter Shikari have gone from strength-to-strength with their unique hybrid marriage of post-hardcore and electronica.
 
Beginning the then long-awaited revolution for British hardcore back in 2006 with debut, ‘Take To The Skies’, before becoming only the second unsigned band in the history of London’s Astoria to sell out, Shikari have acquired an impressive following of admirers, both young and old for their socio-political ramblings.
 
2009's sophomore effort, ‘Common Dreads’ received a mixed reaction, but the eagerly anticipated forthcoming third album ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’ is due for release in January next year and looks set to establish Shikari’s status as the premier purveyors of dupstep/rock fusion with new tracks such as ‘Arguing with Thermometers,’ ‘Quelle Surprise,’ and ‘Sssnakepit’ given an impressive airing.
 
A special mention must go to the two support acts, as Californian five-piece letlive. and Brighton’s very own Your Demise suitably warmed up the throng of sweaty teenage scoundrels with suitable reckless abandon.
 
‘And still we will be here, standing like statues’ echoed around the venue before the band finally took to the stage for the last time on their European tour, as a curious and overly worried mother asked me whether she could stand in front of me and try and spot her son from the balcony. After opener ‘Destabilise’ and lead vocalist Rou’s jump from the top deck into the adoring swathe below, she must have been wondering what she had let herself in for. Shikari are undoubtedly a band with political agenda, an expression of the angst felt by many of this generation.

But whilst stage-diving is oft considered a generic, compulsive gesture of the genre, there are certainly no gimmicks from Rou and the rest of Shikari. After he had finally swam back to the stage, the group continued their boundless energy, which included Rou wielding the microphone above his head and also rather unwisely hurling the microphone stand into the horde beneath him.
 
His vocal range is also incredible to behold, at one moment it is utter teenage rebellion as he screams from atop his lungs, the next, it is a soft, lulling tone. This is showcased perfectly inside four minutes on personal favourite and stand-out track ‘Return to Energiser’, which provoked pandemonium amidst the flock beneath me. The track finishes with the lyrics ‘All hell breaks loose, when you’re here.’ Well gentlemen, amen to that.

The crowd continued to play their part, too, a sea of bodies and the predictable mosh pits ensued immediately following old favourite ‘Mothership’ before later in the set, Shikari demonstrated their more placid approach as the beautiful ‘Gap in the Fence’ provided a welcome respite and for many, even a sit down.
 
The mesmerising and almost militant clapping of ‘Sorry, You’re Not a Winner’ was simply a joy to behold at the finale of the set before a predictable encore of Blue Bear’s True Tiger remix of ‘Juggernauts’ brought a compelling gig to a poignant close.
 
The band signed off with ‘OK, Time for Plan B’ but thankfully on this showing, they certainly won’t need one.
 
9/10
 
@jordanhalford