No rest for wicked with raucous punks

Idles, Bootleg Social
Mark Bowen and Idles at Bootleg Social. Pic: LINDSAY MELBOURNEMark Bowen and Idles at Bootleg Social. Pic: LINDSAY MELBOURNE
Mark Bowen and Idles at Bootleg Social. Pic: LINDSAY MELBOURNE

Bristolian post punk aficionado’s Idles took to the stage of Bootleg Social on Sundayto bring some action to the usually quiet day of rest.

It’s almost silent as 300 eager fans stand together, packed like sardines.

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That is before the band flow through the back exit and onto stage, as they’re greeted with a colossal roar.

Joe Talbot, the group’s frontman, is bursting with energy as he jumped up and down on the spot, feet jostling the stage below as he pounds harder and harder before beggining the 15- track tirade that will ensue.

As they break into the first track that is Heal/Heal, one of their most recognisable numbers, a moshpit forms and it seems there’s going to be no slowing down from this point onwards as the crowd becomes an amalgamation of limbs and booze flying through the air.

Sometimes people label punk music as violent due is it’s brash sound and sometimes crass lyrics, but Idles manage to break this stigma as they sing, or shout, about issues which have brought them troubles in life and try to create an ongoing dialogue.

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This is heavily prevalent in a new numbers that has wormed its way into their set, Samaritans, “Man up, Sit Down, Chin Up, Pipe Down” sings Joe.

He later explains the track to be about males being taught to suppress their feelings on a societal level and the negative concequences of this suppression.

It’s nice to see a band with such influence leading the discussion. Idles’ rage and passion flows through each and every song, but especially through Mother, which is about Joe’s late mum whose ashes he had pressed into a handful of rare vinyl’s. The track highlights his mum’s struggle to keep the family afloat working ungodly hours and sees him drilling his fist into the side of his head with every pounding beat as his eyes are filled with fury.

Idles sure set the bar high for any future shows to be held here and it seems Bootleg have now purchased crowd barriers to prepare for the flood of gigs to follow, it seems that this may have finally been the show that is going to concrete Blackpool on the gig circuit.

Henry Calvert