5 March 2025 – Sooki Lounge, Melbourne – words and Pictures by Maxine Thomas
After taking on a hectic weekend of Knotfest in Melbourne and Brisbane, Enter Shikari with Melbourne locals Future Static took to the stage at Sooki Lounge for a very intimate sideshow with excited fans.
Amidst some sound mixing difficulties, Future Static Band put on a fantastic performance with lead singer Amariah Cook getting up close and personal with showgoers. Compared to Enter Shikari’s, bass and remix-heavy performance, this Melbourne five-piece brought a more metalcore vibe to the night showcasing just why they are one of Australia’s most talked about breakthrough heavy acts to date. From covering Daddy Yankee’s ‘Gasolina’ to their own hit song ‘Venenosa’, Future Static kept fans attention in a chokehold, warming them up for just what was to come for the remainder of the evening.
Future Static – Sooki Lounge – photos by Maxine Thomas
Enter Shikari seemed to be the ugly duckling of the Knotfest lineup, being a rock band at a metal festival, there’s no wonder heavy music fans were stating the St Albans born foursome were not many people’s cup of tea. This outlook would however change when loyal fans got the chance to share an intimate show together, merely being within arm’s length of Rou Reynolds and crew. Having to refrain from crowd surfing or moshing too hard due to just how packed it was in the small venue, Enter Shikari would’ve been more than capable of filling up a larger locale like Corner Hotel for example. Keeping the high vibes going, Shikari started the night off with ‘Bloodshot (Coda),’ and finished with ‘A Kiss For The Whole World X,’ whilst also keeping things interesting by throwing in a few remixes throughout the setlist. If variety is what you want from a live music set, Enter Shikari is the band you should be looking into.
Enter Shikari – Sooki Lounge – photos by Maxine Thomas
From screaming into the mic with the crowd, to being able to hear the music from across the street, Sooki Lounge was the place to be on a Wednesday night. With Future Static bringing the metal to progressive metal and Enter Shikari adding a bit of ‘doof doof’ into the mix, both bands put on a great show. Enter Shikari showed just how underestimated the British Rock Band is in today’s music scene. They may not be everyone’s cup of tea at heavy metal festivals, but they sure know how to stand out from the crowd.
