Later this month, Enter Shikari are taking part in charity event, Get Loud: a one-night-only series of gigs that will take place all over the country on 26th September, raising money for Nordoff Robbins, the UK’s largest independent music therapy charity. Frontman Rou Reynolds stops by for a chat about the band’s year so far, their mammoth upcoming headline tour, and why they’ve got involved.
Hey Rou, how’s it going? Busy summer? You guys smashed 2000trees the other month.
Thank you, yeah 2000trees was incredible, what a wonderful festival that is. I want to go next year just as a punter I think. But yeh summer has been great, played a ton of festivals.
It was great to see ‘The Spark’ go Top 5 last year, has it offered up any new opportunities? How do you keep band life exciting after so many records?
Oh man, it will never not be exciting I’m sure of that! Writing music is what I live for, nothing makes me happier. But then everything from the excitement of playing shows to travelling to crazy new places, being stuck for 24 hours at borders, meeting Russians who offer us a fight with a bear. It never ends.
Your December – February run of shows is nuts. Where did the idea come from to do your longest ever tour?
The initial idea was for us to do a thorough tour of the UK. After the last two tours being Arena sized places and only doing the major cities we felt it was time to get back in the van proper. After that got booked, everything else just kept coming and being piled on. It’s beginning to look pretty mammoth innit? I can’t wait.
Are you at all apprehensive about spending so long on the road?
I’m single, so all I have to worry about is missing my cat. But she is Siberian, so I might take her on our extensive Russian tour so she can meet her ancestors.
