Live: Enter Shikari + Support, AFAS Amsterdam + Sporthalle Hamburg

Enter Shikari, 26.02.24, Sporthalle Hamburg

Enter Shikari have significantly stepped up their game: after celebrating the release of their hit-packed record A Kiss for the Whole World in tiny venues in 2023, 2024 marks the start of the biggest production value and audiovisual entertainment from the St. Albans quartet. Because one concert is not enough, authors Anna Ratkovich and Alex Loeb visited both the shows in Amsterdam (23.02.) and Hamburg (26.02.) and gathered their thoughts in this double review.

AFAS, Amsterdam - Anna Ratkovich

No matter the venue, no matter the city, no matter the country, Enter Shikari always succeed in putting on a spectacular, atmospheric show that leaves one entertained, energized and full of fond memories. Years pass, and the scale of their performances increases rapidly; yet, in addition to the energy they bring onto the stage and into the crowd, one other constant remains: at an Enter Shikari show you do not feel like a mere spectator; you feel like a part of a lively, welcoming, and enormously large family. And it is precisely this feeling of belonging that captivates me greatly and ensures I will be back out there, within a shouting crowd, times and times again.

As part of A Kiss For The Whole World: UK & EU 2024 tour, Enter Shikari played at AFAS Live in Amsterdam on February 23rd. Being the band’s biggest show in the Netherlands so far, it brought together several thousands of people from all over the country – and beyond. Among those with whom I had a chance to speak were the band’s fans from Brazil, Finland, Russia, and many more distant places. This fandom is, indeed, a family – and rather diverse at that (it is a good time to admit that my review is biased – me being a fan of theirs for a long time myself. I am, though, biased for a good reason, but without further ado, let me end with my sentiments and review the concert itself).

Blackout Problems at AFAS Live, Amsterdam (Captured by Alex Loeb)

With Blackout Problems and Fever 333 as support acts, this tour’s performance scheme structures a perfectly orchestrated evening that builds the tension up gradually and prepares the audience to go mad during the main act. Blackout Problems open the show, right away starting to pump energy into an awaiting, scattered crowd of AFAS arena. The people readily step forward to the stage, drawn by the mix of electronics, buzzing guitars and provocative lyrics of the German musicians. The influence of Enter Shikari on their style peaks through unavoidably; still, equally undoubtful is their style’s uniqueness. Personal, relatable lyrics resonate within, screamed out into the audience by the lead singer Mario Radetzky, who is jumping across the stage to suddenly fearlessly dive right into the crowd. The energy is building up, filling the room and steadily awaking the crowd from the paralysis of everyday life.

Fever 333 at Sporthalle (captured by Nadin Propopenko)

After a short intermission, the next band – Fever 333 – takes over the stage. The rage threaded into their songs is almost tangible in the air; by the time of their set, the hall is nearly full, and the crowd is visibly impatient for action – so the band gives them action. Rhythmic chanting and on beat shouts fill up the space, and the mosh pits open one after another, without any need to articulate it is time for them from the stage. Naturally, at the middle of the set Jason Butler, the band’s front man, finds himself in this roaring crowd as well, shouting into the microphone together with those close to him in the pit. The temperatures are rising, and so are, after the two acts, the expectations for the ‘main course’ of the evening - and it does not disappoint.

Enter Shikari at Sporthalle (various photographers: N. Prokopenko, Tonya, A. Loeb)

         The crowd is pulsating, ready to explode at the first sounds of familiar songs. Enter Shikari’s Rou Reynolds comes onto the stage, declaiming the well-known lyrics of System… with ...Meltdown to follow. The time is here and now, and the crowd finally bursts, only to merge into one restless body of cells for the next hour and a half. I am in the middle of it all, watching the circle at the arena’s center expanding and closing time after time. Surely, for those on the upper seats the view is spectacular – the lightshow and the visuals on stage are carefully patterned to align with the songs’ meanings and aesthetics; but so is the view from within.

There, at the center of it all, the realization of the scale of the show truly hits. There are hundreds of voices merging with my own as we yell together, crashing against each other, pumped with adrenaline and united, as always, by music. Still, I catch myself spotting familiar faces across the hall and exchange glances with those I have yet to meet, only to see the same sense of belonging reflected back at me through the eyes of others. It is truly unique, and it is moments like these that make you feel alive.

Enter Shikari at Sporthalle Hamburg (Captured by Nadin Prokopenko)

I can go on and on about the set structure and how it differs from the one I have witnessed during other shows by Enter Shikari, but I will not. It did not matter at that moment, as all that did matter is how united the crowd was during every single minute of the evening. Although, it is worth mentioning that the choice of the songs for the acoustic part of the performance was rather interesting. Sitting on the very top of a giant screen, Rou performed the pressure’s on., Juggernauts, and Gap in the Fence, and it was unusual to hear Juggernauts in particular in such a differing setting. Not used to hearing it in this soft, melodic manner, the people around me found it hard to slow down and cool off, tempted to shout the familiar phrases out instead. Still, the moment turned out to be endlessly wholesome.

Following the acoustic part, the madness continued – with Rou in the crowd and the crowd raging, right through the final part of the set and the encore. Sorry, You’re not a Winner, the song goes; I would argue that everyone at that show in Amsterdam was a winner in the way they got to experience this joyful chaos. But who am I to judge?

(4/5 feathers)

Sporthalle, Hamburg - Alex Loeb

After about a decade and a half of seeing Enter Shikari live, it is safe to say they have reached a new status as a live act that can easily compete with the likes of Bring Me The Horizon or Muse.

For the sake of not repeating the same perspectives as Anechka, this shorter review focuses on key highlights of all sets.

Blackout Problems at AFAS Live, Amsterdam (captured by Alex Loeb)

Blackout Problems not only celebrated their support slot for one of their favorite bands, but also the release of new album Riot. In their compact and energetic set, the band from Munich and especially singer Mario Radetzky were seen bouncing from left to right, stage to crowd, shouting the likes of Germany, Germany with unlimited fervor. Songs such as these manifest the band's strong stance against right-wing ideology and neo-fascist uprisings in Germany through the Alternative for Deutschland. Thus, Blackout Problems do not only deliver as performers live, but also excel at making their view be made loud and clear. Moshpits erupt from the get-go, Brother being one of the highlights of this hit-packed set: While on record the song shines with a bright chorus and upbeat instrumentation, the high tempo transforms then crowd into a simmering pot of sweat. For the left-field track GLOFS, Rou Reynolds joined the band on stage with a mix of half-rapped, half-sung parts that were well-received by the crowd. The subject matter highlights the Ahrtal floods in 2021, where more than 135 people tragically lost their lives. Especially if you know how much Blackout Problems admire the headline act, the emotional performance and melodic vocal trade-offs between Radetzky and Reynolds are a match made in heaven. The band from Munich closes out the opening set with Rome, every band member giving it their all. Since this set was only 30 minutes in length, it will be exciting to give the new songs their own space and time on their own headline run in April.

Fever 333 at Sporthalle, Hamburg (captured by Alex Loeb)

Next up: Fever 333 prove once again that punk is a mindset, not a style of clothing or a hip trend. On the contrary: The project surrounding frontman Jason Butler is fierce in its messaging and performance. From addressing the representation of (POC) women in music, the war in Gaza and police brutality, it does rather feel like a rally with moshpits than a regular concert. After going through a lineup change in 2023, the band is now fully grooved in and unstoppable. The opening sounds of Burn It foreshadow the rowdy crowd experience of the night (I, at least, came out of this severely bruised). An accurate description for a Fever 333 show might be like this: frenetic screaming, heavy bass and beats made to bop your head to (or go ballistic to with arms flailing). New single Ready Rock emphasises the origins of rock and heavy music in POC culture, with Fever 333 reclaiming the throne for minorities in modern heavy music. Accompanied by a powerhouse of musicians, April Kae especially captures the attention of the fans, jumping around, dancing and completely letting loose while playing groovy bass lines. A key element that cannot be missed at a Fever show is Jason entering the crowd to scream and dance with his listeners. In line with underground hardcore culture, the singer repeatedly passes the microphone to enthusiastic audience members for them to pour their soul into. If you don't know the energy we are talking about here, here is some footage from said moments:

Fever 333 at Sporthalle Hamburg (captured by Alex Loeb)

Regardless of the venue you see Fever 333 in, it is undeniable that this group knows how to get a crowd going. Jason sticks out like a sore thumb in terms of how eccentric his on-, off-, crowd and balcony performances are. For Hunting Season, for example, he decides to visit the balcony on the opposite part of Sporthalle. In an extended version with added breakdowns, Butler presents his most vicious screams and shrieks Chino Moreno would surely give a thumbs up to. Covered in sweat and clapping loudly for the enthusiastic crowd, the formation from California leaves the stage after a truly abrasive 45-minute set.

Enter Shikari live at AFAS Live, Amsterdam (Captured by Alex Loeb)

While the engagement level is already peaking, Enter Shikari manage to push the party level into overdrive. Although the independent quartet from St. Albans, London has always invested their entire paycheck in light production, the current tour makes you wonder how many kiddies had to be sold to make this possible. Huge LED towers, interactive animations, individual graphics and visuals for each track as well as a fantastic light show are unveiled after an intimate, story-telling version of System.... Here, singer Rou Reynolds tells the tale of our capitalist systems in place by metaphor of an endangered house of a cliff. Considering our current times of war and environmental crises, opening up the set with these key tracks delivers hope and more importantly, a positive feeling of community in the audience.

The band seemingly sprints through a set that highlights almost all of the fan favorites in the most eccentric Enter Shikari show to date. ...Meltdown is a fantastic ace to pull from out of their sleeves in a set filled with special moments, remixes and production value many bands can only dream of. To witness the band reach this point in their career is emotional, eccentric and fittingly theatrical without becoming a gimmick. During bloodshot, Reynolds climbs onto the left LED tower and 'tests the water' he is about to immerse himself into.

"I'm going in!"

In a truly cinematic move, Reynolds appears within the tower, making it seem as if he is trapped inside a water container. The extremely bouncy nature of songs such as this (or the absolutely ridiculous The Jester) makes for a fun ride that leaves the majority heaving for air.

Enter Shikari at AFAS + Sporthalle (captured by Alex Loeb)

The fantastic encore consisting of (pls) set me on fire, Sorry You're Not A Winner (+Pendulum remix) and A Kiss for the Whole World x is a powerful statement - Enter Shikari have been ready for the big stages for a long time, but now it simply becomes inevitable to recognize this band as one of the most important independent groups out there.

After testing bigger venues such as Alexandra Palace and other areas in the U.K. for several years now, Enter Shikari have arrived at the point where this scale of show production is setting the standard for a new wave of bands. The new tracks from A Kiss For The Whole World are simply made to be enjoyed by large audiences. It will be only be a matter of time until the world outside of the U.K. catches on. Until then, we'll be standing like statues.

(5/5 feathers)