Idles - a live review
I mention the bad times four years ago (you know that time) on this blog. Unfortunately, I will have to mention it just once more today. Welcome to Monday. Let’s talk about when I went to see Idles.
I need to briefly mention this period not only because Idles was the last proper outdoor gig I went to until the world stopped but also because Idles had another significance to that time for me. About a week before the world stopped, I saw lead singer Joe Talbot in conversation at The Sugar Club. Nobody had any idea what was going to happen next. Since then, Idles have released two albums. They haven’t, however, returned to Ireland in a headlining capacity for a while. That all changed last week.
Idles made their long-awaited return to Dublin, headlining The Olympia Theatre for the first time. I was chuffed to see them at a level where they could sell out The Olympia thrice in a row. Fred and I were fortunate enough to get tickets for the first show. It also happened to be at the beginning of their ongoing tour. I always feel better when the risk of sickness or injury is minimal.
After splurging on two half cups of Coke for €8 (that’s right), Fred and I stood directly in front of the sound booth. We will learn about the errors in our ways relatively soon. Before Idles took to the stage, we were introduced to the support band Chalk. I listened to some of their songs in preparation for the show. If I were to describe them, I would say they are an experimental noise rock trance-y band who do fit in at an Idles gig. A group who aren’t afraid of a lot of bass sound. This is where Fred and I realised we had a decision to make. As the set went on, we were practically hit in the face with the sound whenever there was any bass noise. Neither of us had ear protection (something I came to regret the next day). We decided to stay put because moving during a sold-out gig is nearly impossible. We had a good view and had been looking forward to this gig for a long time.
Chalk finished their set, and this was when our ears could take the only break they could for the whole evening. The mighty Idles finally made their way to the stage for what I still call a spectacle of an opening. As the stage lights began resembling an almost fog-like atmosphere, the band gradually made their way to the stage as the haunting keys of IDEA 01 slowly crept in. It is the perfect opening track for not only an album (which it is on their latest release, TANGK, but evidently for their shows, too. As the piano faded, the drum beat for their original regular opening song, Colossus, kicked in. This is where the show kicked into overdrive.
Upon reflection, Idles is a band with songs that fit their setlist for many occasions. For your upbeat and chaotic moments, you have Mr Motivator and Gift Horse. These songs involve much moshing and crowd-surfing from guitarists Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan. For your quieter and more reflective moments, you have songs like Car Crash and When the Lights Come On, with Talbot introducing himself and saying, “My name is Joe Talbot, and I’m an alcoholic.”
Much of the album, as mentioned earlier, TANGK, which they are touring with, has some dance-worthy (not just moshing) moments. A song like POP POP POP has a catchy beat that comes as no surprise when two of the album’s producers, Kenny Beats and Nigel Godrich, have reputations as DJs as well as producers. Many of these songs must have been created with the live environment in mind, not to mention the banger that is Dancer, featuring James Murphy and Nancy Whang from LCD Soundsystem (not in person, mind you). The band closed the night with the always chaotic Rottweiler, as they do at most shows. The performance features Talbot on additional percussion, as his singing for the night finishes relatively early. Complete with more crowd surfing from the band; Rottweiler is one of those songs that could be played nonstop for over an hour without a definitive end. Bowen takes over the frontman role for the remaining 10 minutes of the show, introducing each band member individually. As the jam session comes the closest it can to being finished, i.e. the band members leave the stage (the guitar feedback doesn’t stop for another five minutes or so), Fred and I tried to make a quick getaway and, honestly, some quiet. Getting our coats from the cloakroom was a strange experience, but that’s a story for another day.
Idles gets a mixed reaction from music fans. I didn’t mention Talbot's political ramblings during the show because that’s not my thing. I don’t go to gigs to be swayed one way or the other. I go to have a fun time, and I am happy to say that that happened this time. Idles are an incredible live band, and I can’t wait to see them again inevitably. Thanks for reading, and thank you for your time.
