IDLES
Newport Music Hall, Columbus, Ohio
October 10, 2021
Despite lead singer Joe Talbot exclaiming that his voice sounded like “a bag of dicks”, IDLES delivered an absolutely iconic set full of unforgettable crowd dives and LOTS of spitting.
I don’t go to a lot of what would be considered hardcore rock concerts, so this was a new experience for me to say the least. The closest I've ever come to “moshing” was when I saw The 1975 in Pittsburgh when I was 16, and this was more involuntary as the 13 year-olds around me were so determined to get closer to Matty Healy they gave no fucks elbowing me in the side to get there.
I did not participate in the moshing at IDLES, but I was more than happy to spectate, and there was a lot to take in.
I was introduced to IDLES by an old co-worker, who upon my prompt for albums to listen to in order, said I should try Ultramono. I gave it a shot and was very taken aback by how much I liked a lot of the songs (despite not being able to understand a lot of the words, you need closed captioning for how thick their accents are). It was a quintessential quarantine album, a new and refreshing addition to my less than exciting daily routine.
So when I saw they were coming to Columbus I figured it may be a good change of pace from my usual suspects. I was expecting the show to be nutty, but it exceeded my expectations in every facet: moshing, crowd surfing, spitting. I was out of my comfort zone, but that’s what this whole concert-going experience is about, so I soaked in the discomfort and did my best not to get hit by flying objects (or people).
The crowd was singing so loud I was convinced that I had to be the only one who didn’t know the entire setlist. Everyone else made up for my shortcomings though, because my ears were ringing the entire time (and continued to do so for a few days after). Talbot’s voice, or lack thereof, was a non-issue, with the band doing a lot of the singing, and the crowd taking over every word when necessary.
During the first song, “Colossus” Talbot prompted the crowd to split in half (or rather he said “SPLIT THE FUCKING CROWD.”). Once they successfully parted the sea, everyone went absolutely fucking nuts and started thrashing into one another, and I finally found out what moshing was.
I really only knew a few songs, mostly from Ultramono. “Grounds” is a popular single that speaks to their anti-war, proletariat attitude and is a treat to hear live, raising my pink fist and screaming “Black is beautiful” with a couple hundred new friends.
Some other notable (is it redundant to say unexpected?) highlights were covers of “We’re In Heaven” by Bryan Adams and “All I Want For Christmas Is You” by Mariah Carey following “Love Song.” Guitarist Lee Kiernan somehow appeared at the back of the pit, eventually (and very slowly) making his way to the front of the crowd and back onstage for the closing song “Rottweiler.”
Prior to the last song, Talbot thanked the crowd for coming and creating a safe space for the band to be themselves. He lauded the use of kindness, love and empathy to take care of one another, and encouraged the crowd to create a world where everyone felt welcome. And while I haven’t been to many hardcore rock and roll concerts, I can imagine this kind of rhetoric doesn’t come up often.
That’s what I initially loved about IDLES though: on the outside their music is aggressive, loud, even somewhat unsettling at times. But inside they’re really just a bunch of softies, like me!
IDLES in concert certainly did not disappoint. There were no theatrics other than the ones the band themselves created, a testament to the way that really good music doesn’t need much outside the band to be truly good. The bold and brash way IDLES performs leaves little to the imagination in terms of how their next performance could top their last, but I have a feeling no crowd ever leaves a show feeling unsatisfied or uninspired.
See my comprehensive 2021-2022 show season playlist below.