A conversation with Enter Shikari

Ahead of their biggest UK tour yet, The Tab Cardiff met up with Enter Shikari members Rou, Rob and Chris to discuss their previous antics in Cardiff and what fans should expect from the their first arena size tour.

2016 is promising to be a big year for the band. Since playing some huge festivals last summer, planning is under way for their biggest performances yet which includes playing at The Motorpoint Arena in February.

On tour, the band will be playing material from their latest critically acclaimed album, The Mindsweep, and it’s looking like it is going to be one hell of a gig.

One band member down, as Rory on the day was awaiting the arrival of his new baby

Drummer Rob said: “They are the biggest shows we’ve ever headlined so its going to be the biggest production that we’ve ever had to go along with it.”

Their last visit to Cardiff saw them perform in Cardiff Students’ Union, their smallest venue on the tour, might not have been the size venue the guys are looking forward to but they definitely enjoyed it. Rob said: “Yeah, the smaller ones are always pretty intense.

“They get a lot hotter and sweatier and you’re much closer to the audience, so things can get a little bit wild and hectic, but always good fun – you know what students are like.”

Despite their huge success, it seems some of their earlier gigs in Cardiff were not as successful. Rob commented: “On our way here I was reminiscing about a time years ago when we were just starting out, we had a house party gig here, we did quite a few of them then.

“But just as we were getting to the bridge, we got a phone call to say the party had been cancelled, we literally did a U-turn and drove all the way home.”

It seems that even if the show went ahead in Cardiff, it was not always plain sailing. Bassist Chris said: “I always remember Rory getting kicked out of a DJ set we did, for climbing all over the lighting rig.”

Rou laughed, adding: “Remember when someone stole a toaster from a venue, we got in really big trouble.”

Enter Shikari at ‘The Mindsweep Hospitalised’ signing Spillers Records, Cardiff

For a band that is known for their energy on stage and apparent antics on and off, the guys shared their post-show habits. Rob told The Tab Cardiff: “It kind of depends on if something is happening afterwards, so if we’ve got an event or DJ set then we’ll try to keep the energy up from what we’ve had on stage.”

Chris added that a shower beer was essential, something all uni students can relate to.

So will there be any after partying for the Shikari lot in Cardiff? The answer is yes. Rou said: “We are doing after shows on the tour, every night that we have a day off the next day.” So now you know where to head if you have not had your fill of the bands dulcet tones by time the shows through, as the after party promises a delightful helping of their Shikari sounds system vibes.

The band enjoy a shower beer

We also asked if thought they had an influence on Cathays’ population. Rou commented how many students have used their lyrics in essays. He said: “We get so many students saying that we influenced their choice of subject or that they quoted us in a paper or something.

“I think that’s perhaps because our lyrics are in depth, they’re not sort of mainstream pop, soulless lyrics, so I think that’s why they strike a chord with students.

“If you think about it too much, it starts to feel a bit pressurising, but its great, its great to have that support, and that sense of power.”

If what the band says is true and they have “some pretty big things planned” for their next gig here in Cardiff, it’s promising to be one hell of a show. Roll on February 23rd.