Live Review: Idles – Empress Ballroom (Rebellion Festival 2018)

Photo by Lindsay Melbourne

Playing the main stage at Ten to Nine on the opening night of Rebellion is a big ask and usually, it would be left to a band with a more obvious Punk history like The Exploited, GBH or Cockney Rejects but tonight its IDLES. There is a fair amount of Festival intrigue surrounding these Bristol Punks and the Empress Ballroom is a good Three-Quarters full ahead of their prime time slot. The band take to the stage and explode in a ball of controlled musical anger, Tory hatred and quickly dissipating band nerves. ‘Mother’ removes the skin while the Sleaford-esque ‘Danny Nedelko’ kicks the reality skull hard and fast. The crowd stayed with them many (including my girlfriend) standing with mouths open transfixed by the events unfolding in front of their saucer-like eyes. It’s rare that a “new” band can send such an electric shock to the vital organs. The emotive Pleasure Beach masculinity roller coaster ride of ‘Samaritans’ is stunning while ‘Exeter’ is a song “about a shit place to live.” A snarling ‘Rottweiler’ ends a devastatingly left field and brave performance. Relevant, on point and Punk, Idles, listen to Idles.