ENTER SHIKARI RELEASE “Take To The Skies” (Ambush Reality/Tiny Evil) & ANNOUNCE WEST COAST TOUR DATES THIS WINTER.
A revolutionary new sound and way of doing business is about to hit our shores…
Despite mounting pressure to make their lives easy with all the desirable lunches and dinners A&R expense accounts brought Enter Shikari, in November ’06 this St. Albarns band took it upon themselves to make the (possibly reckless, we’ll see) decision NOT to sign to a major label. Instead, they took a loan from their distributor, Vital / Integral, and announced they would be releasing their debut album on their own Ambush Reality label. Enter Shikari's debut album 'Take To The Skies' was released in the UK, Europe and Japan in March
2007 and quickly slammed into the Number 3 spot on the UK album charts-
not to mention two singles hitting the number one spot. Then, in true punk form, Enter Shikari rejected US label options and partnered with label imprint Tiny Evil Records (Jimmy Eat World, Brand New, AFI) for the October 30th stateside release of “Take To The Skies.” The main benefits of this route are that Enter Shikari has never had to listen to anyone else’s advice but their own. They have taken themselves from ‘one man and his dog’ to capacity crowds. All without ever having to wait for a ‘tastemaker’ deem them this afternoon’s ‘next big thing’. Not bad for a bunch of St. Albans lads
Edges that were once rough (and would surely have been smoothed over and dulled by advice from those with an interest in shifting ‘product’) have instead been sharpened by the road, turning Enter Shikari into one of the most exciting, brutal and explosive live bands on Britain’s screamo / post-hardcore / whatthefuckever ‘scene’ to this date. After playing a packed to rafter tent at 2006’s Download Festival and then opening up for My Chemical Romance, the loyal “Army of Shikari” was steadily growing at a rapid pace. Validating all their hard work, perseverance and a no compromise attitude, the lads went on to sell out the London Astoria, being the second band ever in the world to achieve such a feat without a record deal or album out.
When the late and greatly missed Tony Wilson walked into the Manchester Lesser Free Trade Show town hall, one evening back in June 1976 he stumbled across a little known band called Sex Pistols, playing to a half empty room consisting of a bunch unenthused northern union workers and overeager junior industry folk. At that very moment Wilson knew he’d just discovered a band so utterly groundbreaking, exciting and ultimately inspiring upon that stage. A band that had credible music critics baffled and scratching their heads, ranting what a joke they were. Yet soon became genre defining icons, symbolic of a subculture that still resonates in various forms to this very day.
Last summer Tony Wilson himself, was ranting away to many about another band he’d also found in the UK in the summer of 2006. In came Enter Shikari…
Two parts post-hardcore, the other half synth-rock trance. With obvious nods to the 90’s UK rave scene along with another to punk and hardcore, they’ve managed to rally up even the most stoic of fans to mosh like madmen and wave their hands in the air like the most dedicated of ravers!
Enter Shikari has been called everything from punk to trancecore, trance emo to flat out screamo. UK Press labeling aside, what we have here is another groundbreaking and genre defying band.
Enter Shikari are the only band who walked away with 2 prestigious Kerrang Magazine Music Awards this year for Best British Band, and The Spirit of Independence Awards.
High in energy, defiantly independent, unabashedly ambitious and equipped with a wealth of musical knowledge and a thirst for more. Collectively as a band and individually, each member offers a little something special to the “Mothership” that is Enter Shikari. Onstage, they’re like un-caged animals, roaming the stage and climbing the equipment, simply reaffirming this is where they are most at home, with their fans. Each member, in constant motion… one climbing his keyboards, another has been known to walk on the hands of their audience and crowd surf himself to the back of the room only to reach and climb the balcony above. It’s also a common sight for them to put their instruments aside for a minute or two to have a dance with the crowd, for good measure.
In true Keith Moon fashion, Rolfe is quite possibly the wildest member in the band, he is blatantly unable to physically stay behind his drum kit through out the set, continually moving stage front during (the) synthesized parts of songs – he’s a key element into what gets the crowd excited and what makes this band so utterly unique in their performances.
WINTER 2007 NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES
Nov. 30th - Portland - Satyricon
Dec 01st - Vancouver, Canada - Plaza Club
Dec 02nd - Seattle - Chop Suey
Dec 04th - San Francisco - Bottom Of The Hill
Dec 05th - Los Angeles - Troubadour
Dec 06th - Anaheim - Chain Reaction
Dec 07th - San Diego – Soma
www.entershikari.com
www.myspace.com/entershikari
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