HEADLINER: ENTER SHIKARI
SUPPORTS: GRANDSON / FRIENDS OF FRIENDS
DATE: MAY 23RD 2026
VENUE: THE TIVOLI, BRISBANE
PHOTOGRAPHER: NATALIE LORENZ PHOTOGRAPHY
REVIEWER: NATALIE LORENZ PHOTOGRAPHY
As I walked into The Tivoli for Enter Shikari, the first thing that stood out was just how diverse the crowd was. Usually at gigs I go to, everyone tends to fit into a particular scene or aesthetic, but this felt completely different. The room felt like completely different worlds smashed together, which was cool.
Opening the evening were Brisbane locals Friends of Friends, who did a fantastic job opening up the night. The band sounded tight and confident, but it was the frontman’s natural stage presence that really stood out to me. Some people are clearly made for performing live, and he looked completely at home up on the stage from the moment they started.
Next up was Canadian artist grandson, who instantly shifted the energy of the room into something more hyped up. Blending rap, rock, EDM and politically charged commentary, grandson delivered a set that felt persistent in a way that matched the crowd. Despite never personally listening to him before, which probably just confirms I’m old and increasingly out of touch, I had fun. Huge sections of the crowd screamed every word back at him, particularly the younger fans who clearly came specifically for his set.
Between songs, grandson openly discussed his political beliefs and social views, including speaking about Palestine, all of which was met with huge support from the audience. There was a raw energy to the performance that at times felt reminiscent of Rage Against the Machine. At one point he even did a trust fall from the balcony inside the Tivoli into the crowd, who obviously, have his back.
Then came the band everyone had been waiting for: Enter Shikari.
Like many former emos, I went into the night mainly knowing “Sorry You’re Not a Winner” and maybe one or two other songs from that same era. To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting to have that much fun.
I was very wrong.
Enter Shikari delivered an unexpectedly entertaining live set. I’m not going to pretend I knew every song in the setlist, rattling off track names like a lifelong fan, but honestly, that almost made the experience better. It allowed me to appreciate the performance for exactly what it was, absolute genre chaos delivered by an incredibly talented band.
Frontman Rou Reynolds was great to watch live, effortlessly switching between singing, screaming and rapid fire vocals without missing a beat. Trying to pin down exactly what Enter Shikari are feels almost impossible. Post-hardcore? Electronic? Drum and bass? Rock? Dubstep? Somehow, they manage to be all of those things at once while still sounding like themselves. The best description I could come up with throughout the set was simply: Enter Shikari are ADHD in band form. (I’m allowed to say that, I have it myself, haha)
One of the funniest moments of the night came during “Sorry You’re Not a Winner”. Standing near the back of the room and watching half the crowd completely miss the timing of the infamous clap part was honestly hilarious. Guys, you’ve had over twenty years to learn this…
Surprisingly, some of my favourite moments came from Enter Shikari’s more dance oriented electronic songs. They also played a handful of tracks from their recently released album, which were actually really great.
All in all, the night ended up being a genuine surprise to me. I walked into the venue expecting a nostalgic moment tied to one song from my emo years and left with a whole new appreciation for why Enter Shikari still have such a dedicated following after over two decades.
— Natalie Lorenz Photography
