To paraphrase the famous quote from The Dark Knight “IDLES are not the band we deserve, they are the band we need.”
In the messed up world we currently live in, IDLES provide a cathartic breath of fresh air through their powerful punk and edgy topical lyrics. Idles have a different take in the punk genre, instead of just being angry at the world, their songs touch on prevalent societal issues like toxic masculinity, mental health, political turmoil, fear of immigration and provide poignant commentary in an attempt to better the situations.
Fontaines DC fresh off their newly released Dogrel was a perfect precursor to the onslaught of sound that was to be Idles show. Thick accents and post-punk reminiscent of early Arctic Monkeys or The Fall characterize them. While their performance lacked a bit of spark there is great potential in this band as their debut record is one of the best of the year so far and they are still getting used to playing bigger shows.
Usually, when a pit breaks out at the show there are people who move out of the way, at an IDLES show it is very different. The crowd becomes a mosh that extends from the stage to the entrance of the venue, moving in unison like one big school of fish. Constant crowd surfers (although no panda 🙁 ) and fans screaming every word back to frontman Joe Talbot are also a fundamental part of an Idles show. The art of performance is one that Idles is extremely proficient at and relish every opportunity to showcase it with crowd-pleasing moments like the guitarist in the middle of the crowd, or guitar solo piggyback rides. The thing that makes IDLES stand out musically is their rhythm section; drummer Jon Beavis and bassist Adam Devonshire, are in constant movement laying down the pulsating beats that act as a base layer for the rest of the band to shine. To say an Idles show is an experience every music fan should witness is an extreme understatement.
The significance of a band like IDLES and hearing the issues facing society while absorbing them through song cannot be quantified and dictates change through music. That combined with their epic shows make them one of the most important bands out there right now.