They have been always discussing different taboos and were concerned with international current affairs. The fifth album though focuses more on self-reflection and looking deeply into oneself. As they admit, it is a completely new experience. Two hours before the Proxima show, Chris and Rory seemed totally relaxed. It’s hard to be surprised. Regardless of how their last album was received, their fans have no doubts that Enter Shikari gives epic live performances.
Not so long ago Rou posted on his Instagram account that he is doing yoga in various places during the tour. You guys are doing this with him?
Chris: Naaah, I just watch him and think: yeah, I should be doing that. And then I just crack a beer.
Rory: Yeah, because you can eat healthy and do stuff to make yourself more healthy or you can just drink beer. To me and Chris is just drinking beer.
Is this some kind ritual of yours?
Yes! Everytime before gig we’re just drinking beers (laugh).
Pics and videos from your current tour look amazing. Tom Pullen is in charge of this, right?
Chris: We met him actually in America. He came to our show at The House Of Blues in L.A.
Rory: Yeah, he’s working as a freelancer for some magazine. He came to us and asked us if we wanted to do some press shots.
Chris: After that he emailed Rou and he was like: „I am really bored in my job and I would love to come on tour with you guys”. And now I think he’s one of the best people to do this thing. I’m glad we took a chance on him, he’s smashing it now.
The visual side of your tour looks really impressing. Who came up with this idea?
Chris: Rou did all the visuals. Unfortunately tonight the venue is not big enough to fit whole screen in, so we don’t have that tonight. But yeah, each song have a different theme and screens are related to this, everything is completely synchronized.
Rory: I think the idea developed from Rou’s idea – the radar keeps people in line, so we wanted to make giant version of a radar on the stage. We also have a video screen and everything. But the original idea was mostly just this radar, but I think it got pretty boring, so we added a lot of cool stuff.
The Spark is your most personal album so far. How do you feel about that?
Chris: There are still political stuff in our music. But in a slightly different way. I think the album is a lot more personal. Rou went through some pretty rough time with anxiety and stuff like that. It shook him up a bit, and it gave him some new things to think and write about. But playing this personal stuff is amazing! It connects people at so many levels in different way. We’ve always seen people going like „AAAAARRR!” at our gigs. But now I see people going really deep at some songs. Yeah. This album really is different… but I’m enjoying it.
Rory: I love our music. We were quite angry before but I think going through what Rou went through was very educating. Showing people that is OK not being OK, that being vulnerable is okay.
You have very strong fan base. Do you know your fans personally, do you recognize those faces in the crowd?
Rory: There’s one girl I know… she’s literally doing every gig on our European tour. It’s mind-blowing, we see it quite a lot. And it’s crazy for us, I could never see myself being that dedicated to some band. But it’s amazing.
Chris: Yeah it must be quite a fun – this very trip could be like holiday, roadtrip or something like that.
Do you see yourself doing that?
Chris: Oh my god, I don’t have the Energy.
How about when you were 19?
Maybe… Biffy Clyro. I would be in front of the stage at every gig!
Do you have the time to go to gigs in your own time?
Chris: Honestly Rory and I have young children so when we are coming back from tour we just spend every minute in our homes. We are just going back to our homes and to real life, basically. So it’s quite hard for us to go out – you know -I’ve been away for two months so the first thing I’m going to do is going to a gig.
Do you remember last gig you went to?
Chris: The last gig I went to… I think it was Bring Me The Horizon in Alexandra Palace.
What is the most important album in your life?
Chris: RATM. When I was getting my guitar lessons and my teacher showed me that album I was like: OKAY, HOW DO I SOUND LIKE THAT?
Rory: Oasis – Definitely Maybe. I remember when I just started with my own music, this album was huge. And when I heard it I knew it was just something I wanted to do.
We thought no one like Oasis.
Chris: We love Oasis!
We bet Liam has got something to say about you guys.
Chris: (laugh) nothing good I guess!
Agata Hudomięt and Krzysztof Sarosiek
pictures: Tom Pullen