Given that the band has played several low-key / intimate shows over the past month or so to get its stage legs back in preparation for the exhausting months of touring that lie ahead, it seems only fitting that Enter Shikari should start the festival season with an intimate show in a tent too.

Friday 12th June at 5.30pm, Enter Shikari will throw concern for life and limb to the wind and perform a set in the comparatively tiny Tuborg tent at Donington's Download Festival (the last time they played Download, the crowd was ten deep outside the 'walls' of the 15,000 capacity second stage tent, so lord only knows what chaos may ensue come this weekend).

Everyone would have liked to have kept it proper secret... but unfortunately the rumour-mill got a little out of hand, so now we decided we may as well just chuck it out there and see what happens.

Following this weekend in the sunny Midlands (come on folks... if we all think happy thoughts, it WILL be a sunny weekend. Really), on Monday 15th June, 'Common Dreads' (review) - the second Enter Shikari full-length album - hits the shelves of record stores country-wide!

So, to celebrate that fact, the band will take to the road for three HMV instores and two smaller indie store signing sessions (with threatened acoustic mini sets). The dates and venues for those are as follows –


MONDAY 15th JUNE - 6pm - HMV presents an 'instore' at HEAVEN, Charing Cross (due to 'incidents' at the last HMV Oxford St instore, the company decided they'd rather put the band in a more sensible environment. Can't say as I blame them really) - wristbands available from HMV, 150 Oxford St from 8am on Monday 15th.


TUESDAY 16th JUNE - 5pm - HMV MANCHESTER, Market St (wristbands available from HMV Market St from 9am Tuesday 16th)


WEDNESDAY 17th JUNE - 5pm - HMV GLASGOW, Buchanan St (wristbands available from HMV Buchanan St from 9am Wednesday 17th)


THURSDAY 18th JUNE- 4.30pm - REFLEX RECORDS, Nun St. Newcastle (signing, with possibly a couple of acoustic songs)


FRIDAY 19th JUNE - 4.30pm - JUMBO RECORDS, St John’s Center. Leeds (signing, with possibly a couple of acoustic songs)


More info on these events can be found at:

MySpace.com Blogs - ENTER SHIKARI MySpace Blog