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The Zoo - Mon Jan 21 Moved from the Arena to the Zoo, Monday night’s show features British trance/post-hardcore [Screamo with rave elements - JS] act Enter Shikari joined by local five-piece The Amity Affliction. Having signed with Boomtown three months ago and fresh from a busy year of touring, the Amity boys continue to improve and are a solid choice for support. Their short set includes Dong Wayne and Jesse Intense x2, new material from their forthcoming album. Lyricist Joel Birch’s guttural screams are both intense and in tune. Bassist Ahren Stringer’s vocals are less polished but combine well to give Amity more depth and diversity than the average Screamo band. They finish with a colossal keyboard part in I <3 Throbsy.
Enter Shikari are unfazed by the smaller than expected crowd and venue, and the Zoo feels like a London techno club as they cut loose with a ferocity that cannot be ignored. They combine seemingly incompatible genres almost seamlessly, with melodic keyboard parts interspersed among the hardcore thrashing. Frontman/keyboardist Rou shows off his versatility, switching from chilling shrieks to dulcet tones to suit the band’s bipolar style. With the addition of two capable backing vocalists and the shameless use of pre-recorded keyboard tracks, the band produces a complex layering of sounds that makes it hard to believe there are only four of them. The bass/drum arrangement is tight and the lead guitar work over the synth backing in Mothership is sublime. At times even the drums are on autopilot and the human drummer seizes the limelight with a fervent dance routine. The action on stage is matched by the animated crowd who go ballistic and sing along to every word of No Sssweat. Shunning the theatrics of an encore, they wind up with OK Time For Plan B. While firmly planted in a niche market, the appeal of this group is obvious. This is what Van Halen would sound like if they had been born 25 years later. CHRISTOPHER ANDERSON
1. Written by Louise, on 31-01-2008 08:45
Amazing gig. They had so much energy and hilariously awesome dance moves.
Probably the best live act I have seen for a couple of years.
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