At this point, IDLES are no strangers to our shores.
Last in Australia at the end of last year, to then be treated to the catharsis of an IDLES live show in the middle of this year was a celebration for the many gathered at Festival Hall (26 July).While this visit was a briefer tour than their previous stops with only three performances, including Splendour In The Grass, Naarm/ Melbourne felt very fortunate to be included. That love was expressed mutually throughout the evening.
Spirits were high as people started to filter through the venue's doors. The Buoys kickstarted the night, with their brand of indie rock that at times fleeted into a more harder-edge punk sound, and at other times was sweet, jangly indie tones.
With songs that at times expressed their disdain for the political system, in their own way compared to what was to come from IDLES, most of the time the lyrics were centred around ideas of modern anxieties and relationships.
A sound that fits in well with Australian staples such as Teen Jesus And The Jean Teasers and Camp Cope, and indebted to those bands as they are to the likes of Sleater-Kinney. There was definitely an Antipodean take on the riot grrl spirit present in The Buoys' performance.
There was also plenty of fun being had up on that big stage. The Buoys were making the most of their rockstar moment, with the moves to match, reminding the audience how fun it is to be in a band with your mates, especially when your band gets an opportunity to play support to one of the biggest bands in the modern world of punk music.
As they gained momentum as the set went along, some of the biggest cheers came for a song they played for the first time; having only recorded the song on the weekend. They trusted the audience with such a fresh song and got the response they deserved.
Before concluding with 'Linda', a shoutout to anyone with a sh.t boss – from the cheers the audience returned, it was clear many resonated with that sentiment.
The house lights, which were still up during The Buoys support set, darkened and IDLES came on stage, and the onslaught began as they cracked into perennial set opener 'Colossus’ from 2018's 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance', whipping the crowd into a frenzy.
IDLES have their opening and closing songs as a permanent fixture in their live set with fellow 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance' track 'Rottweiler' the closer – what happens between those two is a little more unpredictable.
Not touring to promote anything in particular with no new music released since 2021's 'Crawler', there was an even spread of songs from all their releases.
Known for the chaos that ensues in a live setting, vocalist Joe Talbot wasted no time in getting the crowd riled up, splitting the crowd into two sections then instructing them to collide.
While moshing in this way has always been a feature of IDLES live performance, what was noticeably missing at this point was Joe also instructing the audience to take care and being respectful of each other out there. Is this still needed to be spelt out for the audience or at this point is it obvious?
The way IDLES interact with their audience and the level of reciprocity that is shown is perhaps what draws such a large audience.
While the punk genre at large is known for short, fast and loud music, it was the drawn-out jams in songs 'I'm Scum' and 'Divide & Conquer' that proved the musicality of the band and allowed each member to really come into their own.
'I'm Scum' ensued a chant led by Joe of "f... the King". A band so staunchly anti-monarchist and ant-facist appeals to many in terms of their political views and ideals. IDLES, while at times idealistic, seemingly have the intention to plant a seed for real action with their music.
It was Joe being candid about his experiences the last time he was on tour in Australia about addiction and "not being okay" prior to the band playing 'Beachland Ballroom' that really cemented the tone in terms of letting emotions out in a cathartic way – something the band excels at.
Tonight, Joe spoke about the idea of the band carrying the audience but also the audience carrying him and the band. It is clear from this performance the band are acutely aware they would be nowhere without their audience. That mutual appreciation in the atmosphere was evident throughout the entire evening.
'Love Song' was another fun moment in what was a largely intense evening. After the earlier crowd interaction by Lee Kiernan and Mark Bowen, this time during a breakdown in the song provided a moment for Bowen to take vocal duties – in a chaotic moment there was somewhat disconcerting freaky shrieks from Bowen, which led into some covers of cheesy classics: Sinead O'Connor (vale) 'Nothing Compares 2 U'; Celine Dion 'My Heart Will Go On'; then Mariah Carey 'All I Want For Christmas Is You'.
Towards the tail end of the set, ‘A Hymn’ from 2020's 'Ultra Mono', signified a change in pace from the onslaught that had ensued till this point. The thundering opening reverberated through Festival Hall more so than any song before it.
The crowd quietened down to take in the raw emotion that was on display as Joe wailed: "I wanna be loved. Everybody does." This segue into 'War', from the same album, which raised the fury of the crowd – the anti-war sentiment was blatantly intentional, but in a way it felt like a battlecry for pacifists.
The evening concluded with a salvo of songs from 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance': 'Never Fight A Man With A Perm' into 'Danny Nedelko' then 'Rottweiler' as IDLES reached their most political moment but also signifying the importance of unity through these unstable times.
IDLES are a band who pride themselves on vulnerability as a strength and their performance at Festival Hall was a truly special moment for all who were there.
