IDLES brings noisy punk and political revolution to San Diego

U.K. punk band IDLES performed at The Observatory North Park on Oct. 7 as part of their world tour, showcasing songs off their critically acclaimed 2018 release, “Joy as an Act of Resistance.” The band released “Brutalism” in 2017, establishing IDLES as the freshest face of the U.K. punk rock scene. Their music touches on themes such as racism, nationalism, sexism, mental health, drug abuse, and love. “Joy as an Act of Resistance” builds on those themes and continues to make music that is lyrically dense and just as throttling and loud as their last record.

IDLES shows are notorious for their moshing and rowdiness so I went fully prepared to get injured. Luckily, I found a safe spot toward the back, but this did not prevent me from feeling like a part of the fun chaos that would soon ensue. As one of the few women at the show, I was intimidated at first. But knowing IDLE’s message of community, acceptance, and anarchy, I felt at ease knowing I was with like-minded folk.

The opener, Surfbort, a female-led Brooklyn based punk band, was on par with IDLES’ general disdain of capitalism and people in power, opening their set with a song called “F*ck Trump.” Dani Miller’s angsty vocals, along with Alex Kilgore and David R. Head Jr. on guitar and Sean Powell on drums set the upbeat and noisy tone for the rest of the night.

Shortly after the opener, IDLES sauntered on stage and took their positions. Lead singer Joe Talbot was at the front of the stage, sporting a half-buttoned collared shirt and slacks, followed by guitarist Mark Bowen who was stripped down to just his boxers. Bassists Adam Devonshire and Lee Kiernan stood on either side of Talbot. Once drummer Jon Beavis settled into his seat, he grabbed his drum sticks and began to hit the stick on the edge of the drum kit, creating a steady, skeletal beat. Kiernan’s guitar strummed one-note, catching the beat every four beats to Beavis’s eight, creating a circular rhythm eventually joined by Talbot’s raspy vocals. A grandiose opening song, “Colossus” created an ominous yet electric energy in the room.

It was as if IDLES were giving us a moment to mentally prepare for what was about to go down — a night of community, chaos, and catharsis.

Up next was “Never Fight a Man With a Perm,” a song about toxic masculinity and the petty displays of superiority based on physical strength. The plucky guitar riff accompanied by a heavy bass line was met with Talbot’s angry, grimy voice, indicating to the audience that it was now the time to start moshing. The whole crowd was jumping up and down screaming the lyrics back at Talbot.

Next was a more humorous cut off of their latest album “I’m Scum,” an ironic yet self-aware tune about being a “lefty,” “soft” cog in the machine. “I’m Scum” is a direct rebuttal critique against those who are left-leaning , or “liberal snowflakes,” Talbot claiming that “this snowflake is an avalanche.”

Following this theme of being “soft” is the song “Samaritan” which explores the constricting gender norms imposed on men. Talbot’s guttural belching of “Man Up, Sit Down, Chin Up, Pipe Down,” expressed the cognitive dissonance that occurred when he didn’t act like society expected him to.

One of my favorite parts of the show was watching Bowen dance eclectically throughout each song. His dancing felt like its own performance art piece as if the guitar was an extension of himself and in order to play guitar, he had to move his whole body to play a single chord. If he wasn’t dancing, he would join the crowd. Bowen would crowd surf — with no shirt on but considerably more sweat — with guitar in hand. He would slowly be carried towards the back of the venue, shredding his guitar as security and management roped the guitar cord through the crowd. He would eventually reach the front and head back on stage in time to continue onto the next song and end up in the audience a few times throughout the night again.

Talbot would speak to us between songs, including short monologues about the dwindling political and social climate of the U.S. and the U.K., but also reminding us to respect each other and have fun despite it. At one point, he called out security for trying to kick a girl out for “just trying to have a good time.” He called her on stage to introduce herself, revealing that she was only 15. He gave her a hug and asked the audience to hold her up for the entirety of the next song “Exeter,” because “she is our future” and we must “uplift the youth.” Exeter was the perfect soundtrack to her crowd-surfing journey as it speaks to Talbot’s experience growing up in a conservative town as a child and wanting to escape.

A personal highlight was their performance of “Cry to Me,” a Solomon Burke cover which is iconographic of one of my favorite movies, “Dirty Dancing.” The punk twist to this traditionally soulful and bluesy tune is surprisingly delightful.

They closed out the night with “Rottweiler,” an aggressive and noisy song about Talbot’s distrust in the media and other hegemonic groups that seek to silence those who speak out against corrupt powers. An almost overwhelming crescendo of noise from wailing, distorted guitars and pulsing drum symbols continued to build for at least three minutes before the noise came to a succinct clean end. It was a moment of catharsis; all the negative energy that we may have started off the night with was dissolved as we danced to Talbot ’s healing lyrics.

IDLES delivered an animalistic, raw, and politically-charged performance that one must experience to truly understand. It reminds us that there is power in vulnerability, power in community, and power in healing.

Grade: A
Venue: North Park Observatory
Date: October 7, 2019

Image courtesy of Observatory North Park.