Mark Bowen with Idles playing Brooklyn Steel on May 10th, 2019 (Paul Bachmann / Live4ever)
Now then, where were we?
Although IDLES weren’t cut off mid-flow when the pandemic hit (coming as it did between album cycles for them), they do have some lost time to make up as third album Ultra Mono nears its first anniversary.
Fittingly, their first ‘proper’ gig (i.e. one with a crowd) since December 2019 is a homecoming show at tiny, 140-capacity Louisiana, and also a tantalising teaser for their next big Bristol show at The Downs early next month.
Their first at the venue since 2015 (as local legend Big Jeff informs your correspondent afterwards), the atmosphere is surprisingly calm before the gig, almost as if no-one can quite believe it will happen.
As the band take to the stage (the only way they can, walking directly through the crowd) and open with the metallic, slicing grind of War, what feels briefly like a collective sigh of relief transforms into an immediate channelling of the righteousness that is the band’s modus operandi. We’re immediately transported back to a place of reassuring comfort.
Not that it’s like they’ve never been away; perhaps due to rustiness, or perhaps as part of the show (it’s hard to tell), a few songs are stopped halfway through. In the case of Reigns, we get one verse in before frontman Joe Talbot questions his knowledge of his own lyrics before realising he was right all along. Such is the love and good will in the room, it all adds to the celebratory atmosphere (also Talbot’s 37th birthday) and no-one begrudges anything.
Originally due to take place last year, this gig is one of a handful of record store shows (this one in conjunction with the legendary Friendly Records) ostensibly to promote Ultra Mono.
As such, the first chunk of the set comprises solely of tracks from the album. If possible, the mighty Grounds sounds even heavier than the recorded version, ‘That’s the sound of strength in numbers’, the first of many lines where crowd drowns out band while, in contrast, the maelstrom of Anxiety almost swallows the audience.
From Mr. Motivator onwards, Talbot frequently touches the ceiling, as if daring the admittedly small room to try and contain his band of boisterous brothers, while on Ne Touche Pas Moi, guitarist Mark Bowen steps in for Jehnny Beth’s backing vocals but the song and message isn’t diminished in any way.
Love Song is the first ‘oldie’ to be aired, and fortunately still features the now-traditional ‘mid-song cover bit’. Bowen knowingly and amusingly butchers Celine Dion’s My Heart Will Go On while Talbot tackles Don’t Look Back In Anger.
Combined with the false starts and crowd interaction (from about the mid-way point IDLES start taking requests) it almost feels like cabaret, in that it’s true entertainment. Echoing their very purpose, we are all finding our way back together, cobwebs and all.
With their singalong sections, 1049 Gotho and Queens naturally provide huge crowd participation, and by the time the band get to penultimate track Mother the moshpit is a sight to behold.
In a time when we’ve been isolated (yet still divided), lyrics such as ‘this snowflake’s an avalanche’ resonant more than surely even the band thought possible back in 2017. The need for human contact has never been stronger and, although some gig etiquette will need to be relearned, with their laudable intent of promoting progressive values, few are better suited than IDLES to lead the way.
Quite simply, one of those nights where superlatives aren’t enough.