IDLES: The Village Underground, London [Live]

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Joe Talbot is a beautiful person. IDLES are beautiful people. And, Joe assures us by words and attitude, so are we.

We're in the main hall at Village Underground: a soaring, reclaimed industrial space. On the bill, TANGK, a non-existent band which had managed to sell out the show by word of mouth. Hundreds of people had worked out this really meant IDLES. We know now that 'TANGK' is the name of IDLES' new album - their fifth - due for release on 24 February 2024. Joe described it as the best thing they've made, and it's clearly been a labour of love to produce.

On that note, there's much talk of love in the air at this gig - raw, unglamorous love, of the real kind. Joe tells us - almost implores us - several times that "we need more love". 

This was my first time seeing IDLES live, in real life, and I was struck by the energy first and foremost. It's the kind of energy you can feel in the air, see in all the band members, and of course hear - a thrumming, pounding, non-stop kind of energy which assails you from all sides and at all levels. 

The set opened with a brand new song, ‘Gratitude’, which went down well, sounding familiar enough to get the crowd going, but with hints of a subtle experimentation. Then, the band got properly going: the siren wail of ‘Car Crash’ heralding an increase of volume. 

Joe prowled and swaggered around the stage as the master of it all; he's an assertive presence, and absolutely in control, but ultimately there’s a sense of humility. His is a genuine confidence and grace that has come from passing through hard times. 

He told us we’d be hearing new and old songs tonight, but mostly older as we’d now heard 50% of the new material. “I for one hate new music and love old stuff,” he joked, before the band launched into a hugely satisfying section of the set.  

There was a triumphant and rebellious ‘Mother’, which feels more relevant and timely than ever; a long, brooding intro for ‘I’m Scum’; and - after an interlude when Joe again express his thanks and love for the fans, saying “Our success comes in the form of you” - a hard-hitting ‘Grounds’ dedicated to the band's marketing manager. That one was absolutely thunderous, as befitting the lyrics, and again it seemed so timely. Where politicians and leaders seemed to have failed, perhaps here’s the answer to our problems. Unity. Love.

This was a big, dense, emphatic set - stretching nearly to 90 minutes, with almost 20 songs and only a few short pauses.

'The Beachland Ballroom' stood out for its dramatic waltzing feel, and Joe's voice was packed with passion as it tailed off with the final cry of "damage ..." 

There was the grinding, relentless, aching, paradoxically-triumphant melancholia of 'The Wheel'; the next level wall of sound of 'War', which flooded the venue with a barely-under-control, fierce musicality that took on a life of its own; the jaw-clenching stomp of 'Never Fight A Man With A Perm'; and, of course, drummer Jon Beavis' ultimate moment to shine, 'Wizz' (short! sharp! humanly possible?!)

The new single 'Dancer' featured near the end. The shimmery string intro caught us off guard for a moment, and drew some smiles, but we all sensed what would come next. Those key IDLES ingredients are still very much there in this one: heavy, ominous, brooding chords, and that metallic, rough edged sound. But there's also something a little different, hints of a direction which isn't exactly new as much as a gentle branching off. (In the studio version, linked below, the differences are greater and a bit easier to discern. It’s a partial collaboration with members of LCD Soundsystem which appears as a subtle overlay, particularly in the chorus.)

After this, the live set returned to stalwart territory with the rapid-fire ode to diversity, ‘Danny Nedelko’. This one's a guaranteed mosh and crowd-surfing generator. There can’t be much greater joy in the live music world than to bellow out the refrain of D.N. while watching mayhem - very respectful mayhem of course - ensue in the pit. 

The job was almost done by this point: it only remained for Joe to announce the last song - and then gently but firmly chide us for booing that announcement ("We don't boo at an IDLES gig"), before offering a chance for redemption. Again, an emphasis on positivity - a firm hand guiding us to a better way.

That closing track was ‘Rottweiler’, which was drawn out into an extended outro after Joe left the stage, leaving it to guitarist Mark Bowen to take charge, name checking the band members and thanking us for coming to watch. Jon Beavis got another chance to show off his incredible stamina, speed and unerring accuracy, while Lee Kiernan and Adam Devonshire struck their poses with joyful abandon.

IDLES are absolutely at the top of their game right now, and that's a great position to be in as they ramp up for their album release next year. They have proved, again, that they are worthy keepers of the true punk tradition of rebellion and subversion without losing respect for your fellow human beings. Love surely must be enough. We need it.



Three photos above: Will Hayes

Date of gig: 17 October 2023.

Full setlist:

Gratitude

Car Crash

Mr. Motivator

Mother

Meds

I'm Scum

Grounds

Crawl!

Divide and Conquer

The Beachland Ballroom

The Wheel

Television

A Hymn

War

Wizz

Never Fight a Man With a Perm

Dancer

Danny Nedelko

Rottweiler


Listen to the new IDLES track 'Dancer' below: