IDLES // O2 ACADEMY, LEEDS
DO YOU HEAR THAT THUNDER? – THAT’S THE SOUND OF STRENGTH IN NUMBERS - IDLES ARE BACK IN YORKSHIRE…YORKSHIRE!!
IDLES PERFORMING AT LEEDS O2 ACADEMY - 05.12.2019
PICTURE BY: | JOHN HAYHURST PHOTOGRAPHY @SNAPAGIG.COM
★★★★★ (5/5)
We need punk music more than ever with the fate of the nation being decided next week. ‘Joy as an Act of Resistance’ was one of the best albums of this decade, and there is no wonder that everything IDLES have done in the last 2 years has pushed their trajectory forwards – bigger venues, better performances, stronger songs than ever before. The Bristol five piece can do no wrong in my eyes now, except limp into the commercial mainstream, which I hope is not what 2020 has in store. This mini UK tour is a thank you to the fans who have supported them throughout, and as such I’m completely honoured to be one of the few press allowed into the room, the gig sold out in a few hours when tickets went on sale a few months ago.
The attraction of IDLES is not only the fire and brimstone they bring to the live show, but their political and insightful lyrics that speak about pro-immigration, saving the NHS, dealing with mental illnesses and equality messages all wrapped up in this rag tag collection of people that you really wouldn’t put together as a band and say – “There that’s gonna work!”. They have worked hard to get into this position, over 9 years of playing pubs and clubs, trying to get that ever difficult break to the bigger audience. Most of those clubs don’t exist anymore, thanks to the government’s inadequate vision to fund the arts.
Singer/Shouter Joe Talbot dressed in trad black jeans and a colourful shirt and white vest, can’t see the setlist as it isn’t the brightest of places here in the Academy (apart from some ridiculously strong strobe lights right at the front), so frequently he’ll say “I can’t see the setlist, just start it, whatever it is” to the rest of the band. Drummer Jon Beavis hits the kit feverishly as recognition hits Talbot that it’s ‘Samaritans’ and maybe he was teasing us all along really.
‘I’m Scum’ prompts one of the first ventures towards the audience for guitarist Mark Bowen. He has in the past ended up playing in just his Y-Fronts, so we are grateful for small mercies as he is currently still got his trousers and shirt on. I’m pinned at one of the sides, occasionally shuffling to the left when the crowd surges, it is packed, hot and sweaty and I’m beginning to doubt my choice of leather jacket whilst Talbot urges the crowd to be safe.
People of all ages are here, from the students of the town to plenty of 50 somethings here reminiscing over the last time they saw a band with this energy and drive, in the punk and post punk late 70’s this was the norm, nowadays it’s a breath of fresh air and long overdue a come-back.
Taking off his Santa hat Talbot dedicates brand new track ‘Grounds’ to Yorkshire, with its community and political message for everyone next week – “Do You Hear That Thunder? – That’s the Sound of Strength in Numbers” repeated over and over again like it is the anti – ‘Get Brexit Done’ mantra. The crowd here though more likely to shout a few more choruses of “Yorkshire Yorkshire” after every song – Talbot picks out someone at the front who shouted “Bristol” – replying with “I love Bristol but C’mon You’re in this great County of Yorkshire, We Love Yorkshire”. He proceeded to get him up on stage asking the crowd to keep him surfing throughout the next song.
The surprise of the night is a couple of favourites missed – ‘Well Done’ and ‘Great‘ are not on the set list, but it is still crammed with 17 of their finest moments. Particularly ‘Love Song’ when Talbot and Bowen take it in turns to destroy several classic 80’s songs with their brusque vocal charms. Guitarist Lee Kiernan has sent his guitar around the audience and it is passed around the crowd like ‘The Gourd’ being held in Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
Leaving the trump card of ‘Danny Nedelko’ towards the end, dedicating it to all immigrants in this country and is a track they have played on every TV show that would have them in the last 12 months. The look on Jools Holland’s face when they played it on his BBC2 programme, whilst guitarist Lee Kiernan was climbing all over his piano, is one not to be missed on You Tube.
More pro-Europe movement of people lyrics and another strong call for “Unity”, perhaps they should be playing it outside the Houses of Parliament to see if it can make a change, lord knows we and they need all the help we can get. Tonight, Mark Bowen climbs into the audience again for the spelling out of “The D, the A, the N….” etc and Kiernan decides to crowd surf on his back whilst still playing the guitar, it was like there was some sort of competition. Meanwhile big bald bearded bass player Adam Devonshire is having none of that but keeping essential sensible court at the back.
Comedy moments interspersed with shouty genius poetry, hardcore driving drums and thrashing guitar. Bowen and Kiernan are making unnatural noises with their guitars using feedback and the odd pedal effect. From Colossus and the brilliantly titled ‘Never Fight a Man with a Perm’ to finale ‘Rottweiler’ is as perfect as it gets for a band at the top of their game – they will not play venues of this size again, 2020 will surely see them getting ever closer to headlining some medium sized festivals, and I’d love to see them trounce the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury’s 50th Anniversary next year.
A cathartic experience is shouting insightful poetry in a room with several thousand people sweating and jumping around. There has never been a better time than right now for this band.
SETLIST: | IDLES : O2 ACADEMY, LEEDS - 05.12.2019
Colossus
Never Fight a Man With a Perm
I’m Scum
Mother
Faith in the City
Divide and Conquer
Gram Rock
Queens
Samaritans
Slow Savage
Television
Grounds
Love Song
1049 Gotho
Benzocaine
Danny Nedelko
Rottweiler