IDLES: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
IDLES
What a show. Nights like this just don’t come around too often. One of the most anticipated gigs in the 2019 live calendar. Why? Well, IDLES bring their live set back to Brighton after a sold out killer show at Concorde 2 some five months ago. Ian Bourn reports back, with a few bruises!, for Scene Sussex and with some stunning live photos.
IDLES, are an English rock band formed in Bristol in 2009. Their debut album, Brutalism, was released in 2017 to critical acclaim, as was their second album Joy as an Act of Resistance in 2018.They have been frequent visitors to the city but tonight at Brighton Dome this was to be their largest Brighton audience to date. A sold out Brighton Dome.
IDLES: Joe Talbot photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
IDLES: THE BAND:
Joe Talbot – lead vocals
Mark Bowen – lead guitar, backing vocals
Lee Kiernan – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Adam Devonshire – bass, backing vocals
Jon Beavis – drums, backing vocals
IDLES: THE SET
The performance tonight opened up with the throbbing bass line of Colossus, The pounding riff drilled into the eager crowd, and they were hungry for this show, and the Joe Talbot, casual as you like, just strolled onto the stage to a huge cheer, shaking himself up warming those muscles like a long distance runner. The band start up as they perambulate the stage, they started as they meant to continue, not standing still for a minute. The sound from these guys thunders around the venue and the crowd were ready!
IDLES: Joe Talbot photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
The stage was thick with smoke slowly drifting out across the first few lines of folk in the crowd and the lighting set to flash/strobe. Well Done, which was featured at the end of their Concorde 2 set last year was brought forward and up next. I’m Scum from the wonderful second album Joy as an Act of Resistance and then up next, as the guitars, drums and bass kicked us into Queens as we were ushered out from the press pit into the bouncing, moshing crowd. Thats were the bruises came from!
IDLES: Lee Kiernan photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
Great was hammered into us next as a crowd favourite Danny Nedelko started up as Joe Talbot stood there shaking and then fiercely punching the air and bouncing around the stage. “Fear leads to panic, panic leads to pain. Pain leads to anger, anger leads to hate” and, Judging the crowd reaction to this, it was a definite set highlight.
IDLES: Mark Bowen photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
Joe Talbot does have a lot to say and is happy to share with his audience, sometimes he would give us an intro to some of the songs played tonight, and sometimes he would let rip on present events. After all today was the day that BREXIT should have happened. Divide and Conquer was next and this was followed up with 10:49 Gotho. The sound was extraordinary and IDLES were delivering a tour de force as the crowd sweated and moshed along to the music. Crowd surfing, stage climbing, walking across the crowd from Mark, and jumping was all part of the show tonight, and that was just the band!
IDLES: Adam Devonshire photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
Mark Bowen, spent the entire set stripped down to his waist as he played those riffs, danced and cavorted around the stage and always looking for parts of the stage he could exploit. He and Lee working together produce an awesome sound of leads, riffs and breaks. Mr Dev Devonshire hammering out full on bass leads and support to create the intensity of the sound we were listening to. He worked in perfect unison with the man at the back engulfed in smoke, Jon Beavis on drums. All of the guys seem to share backing vocals with front man Joe Talbot. Put them all together and you get something exciting and unique.
IDLES: Jon Beavis photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
The set, and the packed in crowd were now fully motoring at breakneck speed. Joe creating moments with the audience with the music or when he chats with the crowd. It makes us feel as if we are all involved part of the gig. Love Song, Mother – and Talbot holds out the mic inviting the still energetic crowd to join in, and in perfect unison they did! The Brighton crowd didn’t let the band, or themselves down. They know every word and showed that they were more than happy to sing along!
IDLES: The band and their crowd photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
The set was heading towards its closing numbers, but not before we had Exeter, Samaritans and Benzocaine. This is modern, message laden rock with heavy duty riffs and sometimes laden with a poignant and at times with a lyrical humour. I’ve never seen The Brighton dome go off before like this, with the whole IDLES crowd dancing and singing, down on the floor and in the circles. It did look pretty rough down there from my now safer position, but it is notable, that it was all well intentioned. There was no aggression nor out of place poor behaviour. The Brighton crowd were just fabulous and out to have a good time.
IDLES: The band and their crowd photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
The set closed with two rousing numbers Television and Rottweiler. That was it. What a show. Nights like this just don’t come around too often. Well played IDLES! And also well done to the band for using a local Brighton promotion team, LOUT Promotions.
IDLES: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
IDLES are on the WWW here
IDLES are on Facebook here
IDLES: photo by Ian Bourn for Scene Sussex
The event was promoted and handled by LOUT PROMOTIONS.
LOUT: This was a brilliant night managed and put together by Brighton based promoters LOUT. They put on a great band. Lout work hard to bring great music to Brighton – so support them, the artists and the venues. Thank you LOUT, you guys are awesome. Keep on doing what you do! Check them out on the Web – here.
Thanks also to the top team @ SONIC PR – here
Huge thanks as always to the wonderful staff and security teams at Brighton Dome. You guys are the best. Thank you.
Please note all original images / video are copyright, please do not copy. If any of the featured artists/promoters/venues want copies of the images – or more if available – please just get in touch.
All original pictures / video – copyright to IANB/MEDIA WORKS/ SCENE SUSSEX – Ian “The Lens” Bourn 2019.
Got an event coming up? Need some gig photography, promo shots, previews or reviews? – please get in touch! See you down the front – come and say “hi!”