Photo by Pearl Cook Photography

The latest installment of the Knotfest original series, Beyond the Breakdown frames the live spectacle of one of the most forward-thinking bands in the space of rock music in Enter Shikari. Joining up with the band for their sold out Cadiff, Wales tour stop, host Tori Kravitz was embedded with the band to get a better vantage point of all of the working parts that coalesce to make such an incredible live set. 

Cutting to the core of the kind of emphasis the band places on their immersive live experience, Rou Reynolds talked about how his performative DNA is still very much rooted in the small, sweaty punk and hardcore spaces - yet while he will always love that intimacy, he has an affinity for theatrics. Merging that small room energy with the ability to put on big production, for Reynolds, offers a creative extension of the music. In short, the show, helps gives the music, new life. 

Playing into the band's competitive nature, drummer Rob Rolfe talked about how the goal for the band's live set is to always try and outdo themselves. Remaining fiercely DIY and being hands-on throughout gives the band the ability to make adjustments to their live set in a way that takes what works and disregard what doesn't. It's an ongoing process that bassist Chris Batten says involves post show assessments - taking note of how best to fine tune the production. That level of meticulousness has resulted in what Batten has called the band's "most ambitious production we have done". 

Rolfe explained how the band's understanding of performance has long been part of their creative core dating back two decades now. He recalled the early tours out of a postal van and using strobe lights triggered by his feet near hit drum kit during the band's breakdowns - these details would grow and evolve as the band became bigger. 

Guitarist Rory Clewlow broke down how the components of the production are shared among the members of Enter Shikari. He detailed how Reynolds takes on the audio portion of the set which also includes the band's well-earn rep for the occasional remix or two. Rolfe handles the transitions that allow for the stage presentation to play out seamless, with Batten sourcing those pieces to create a comprehensive set in Ableton. As for Clewlow, the guitarist has his hands on everything to ensure the sum of the parts is pulled together for the production. 

Ironically, Batten talked about how the passion to be so hands on with the Shikari's production really came from sitting around bored in a rehearsal space waiting for someone else to finish the job. Rather than sit idle and leave the work to someone else, the band took on the task themselves and thus have built a reputation for having one of the best live sets in the game as a result. 

For Reynolds, the growth of Enter Shikari has been a bi-product of the band's emphasis on building a sense of community around the band. Less concerned about becoming a BIG band, the goal was always about bringing people together and galvanizing around the music - something he attributes the members' collective punk core. Reynolds explained how music is one of the few things that can bring people from all walks of life together without discrimination. Creating a big production, a big spectacle around that concept plays into celebrating the music's connecting quality, further reinforcing the idea of coming together in the same space for a show. 

Kravitz managed to get some face time with various members of the Enter Shikari crew to gain some insight on the logistics that go into the band's live sensory experience. Delving into the technical aspects of creating such a comprehensive live set, the viewer get a sense of how the band recreates the feel of those small, sweaty punk rock environment that first resonated with them while filling massive spaces with thousands of fans on the floor. 

Well beyond synchronized lights, confetti cannons and video walls, the latest Beyond the Breakdown with Enter Shikari underscores how the band is utilizing all of their resources to create the best possible live set they can - reinforcing the that creative integrity they have always valued most as both players and fans themselves. 

This is Beyond the Breakdown featuring Enter Shikari with host Tori Kravitz.

STREAM THE FULL EPISODE OF BEYOND THE BREAKDOWN WITH ENTER SHIKARI - HERE