IDLES Ignite the Stage at Packed Shaky Knees Set

Having just finished rocking out to Sublime, I thought I was ready for IDLES. I wasn’t. Nothing could’ve prepped me for the rawness of their set. It was… chaos. Catharsis. Everything punk should be.

Joe Talbot came out like a man possessed, neighing like a horse, spitting into the air and catching it, and begging for more and more energy. When they played “Mother,” he dedicated it to “any man in the audience who needs to learn how to respect women online and everywhere.” The crowd roared back. Their black-and-white screens flickered and cut like old film, giving everything a hard contrast, a jagged texture. Underscoring the raw, punk rock energy that drips from the band.

They’re true punks. They don’t posture while placarding to the media or labels or governments. They’re feminists. They lead “Free Palestine” chants. They call for more vulnerability, telling people struggling with addiction to reach out and talk. They wield their stage for those whose voices aren’t as loud. True punks take care of others. Mimicking that energy, of taking care of others, the crowd had offerings for the band. Sending crowd surfers, from the back up to the front, as if they were sacrifices. Their whole set was bodies, moving over heads, to the front.

Guitarist Mark Bowen dove in too, shredding as the mosh pit swirled around him. Talbot climbed into the crowd, ordering everyone to squat low before detonating the next chorus. Ending their set, Talbot hopped up with Jon Beavis on the drum riser, grabbing sticks, jamming side by side while smoking a cigarette. Breakneck speed. The band pushed harder, faster, until it all slammed to a stop. Bam. Lights out.

Review by: David Saxum; Photo by Pooneh Ghaneh/Shaky Knees

Like what you read? Follow our social media and playlist for the latest in independent music: