Photo Credit: Daniel Topete
IDLES have fast become one of the most popular and pivotal British bands of the past decade. Their popularity has continuously grown with every album released. Ever since the Joy as an Act of Resistance first hit people’s headphones, the band’s sophomore record, IDLES transformed from a band playing basements in bars to a group well on their way to selling out arenas with their latest tour selling out huge venues up and down the country. This tour comes after the release of TANGK in early 2024 with the band experimenting sonically but sticking to their post-punk roots, displaying that their talents lay further than creating modernised punk tracks.
Supporting the Bristol post-punkers, Willie J. Healey welcomed the sold-out Rock City crowd which was in good voice and strong attendance from very early on, with a blend of raw vocals and strong riffs entertaining the crowd but not blowing anyone away. It was a polished performance but altogether a slightly forgettable support act, especially when the next act is probably the UK’s best live band. 6/10
On their second sold-out night at Nottingham’s most iconic venue, it must be said just how impressive IDLES’ stamina is. They’ve kept this relentless touring schedule going on seemingly forever but every time you see them, they never have an off night, it’s beyond impressive. Opening with IDEA 01 which seamlessly blends into Colossus, the big punk chorus hits after a build-up which leaves you begging for the drop, and it certainly hits. Blink and it’s the next tracks, Gift Horse and Mr. Motivator and half the band are in the crowd and it’s utter carnage.
The setlist also paid homage to their earlier music with firm favourites like 1049 Gotho and Mother from their debut effort, Brutalism, still going strong in the setlist and gaining a great crowd reaction while tracks from their 2024 effort TANGK such as Roy and Dancer were performed to a strong ovation.
Never short of controversy, Nottingham band Sleaford Mods were evidently on Talbot’s mind throughout the set. During I’m Scum, a track where Joe Talbot (lead singer of IDLES) and Jason Williamson (lead singer of Sleaford Mods) had a public spat with Williamson taking issue with Talbot’s lyrics, Talbot decided to change one of the lyrics to “I am a Sleaford Mod”, we’re not sure how much Williamson would have loved that.
Later in the set, the band dedicated Divide and Conquer, a thunderous track about the NHS, to Sleaford Mods, a band who Talbot stated will be remembered on the right side of history, maybe the beef has been squashed after all? Regardless, the set stormed on, Love Song saw a traditional five or so minute interval with the guitarists in the crowd singing an array of random pop tunes with strangers in the crowd before leaving the crowd to finish the song in style.
The new sonic flavour the band have adapted in tracks like POP POP POP and Roy fits in perfectly with the rest of the punk heavy set and shows that tracks from TANGK are likely to be in IDLES’ setlist for years to come. Towards the back end of the set, the popular Danny Nedelko still goes just as strong live as it did when it was first debuted in 2017 while Rottweiler still stakes its claim as one of the most batshit crazy ways to end a set.
With over two hours on the clock, who knows how these high-energy post-punkers do it, but again, IDLES show no signs of slowing down.
10/10
Written by: Joe Loughran
