The gig of a generation: IDLES live at Alexandra Palace!

We managed to get our hands on the resale tickets for the gig of a generation… That’s right, we saw IDLES live at Alexandra Palace last week!

These guys have absolutely rocked the world of music to its core over the past few years, with latest album JOY AS AN ACT OF RESISTANCE topping countless charts for the album of the year. It’s a movement onwards from the grittiness of BRUTALISM, with singer Joe describing it as “a brave smile into this grey world”. it tackles themes such as working-class life, toxic masculinity and mental health in a remarkably astute and vulnerable way. This gig at Alexandra Palace, a 10,000-strong venue, would be their biggest gig to date - so we were a little bit excited.

The gig gets off to a weird start as the lads forgo their usual started of ‘Colossus’ in favour of ‘War’ - lots of people seem confused and as a result, it takes a while for the mosh pits to get going. But the following mash of songs, the fantastic ‘Never Fight a Man with a Perm’, ‘I’m Scum’ and ‘Mother’ instantly injects some much-needed movement and energy into this massive crowd.

Usually closing with ‘Rottweiler’, this song is now moved to the middle of a mammoth two-hour long set, followed by an 8-song-long “encore” which allows us to finally have the ‘Colossus’ mosh pit that we deserve. The set is peppered by political statements, as Joe encourages us to vote Labour in the upcoming election. This is met by the inherently British chant of “Oh, Je-re-my Cor-byn,” - and is possibly the biggest example of preaching to the choir I’ve ever come across.

They leave ‘Television’, perhaps their best song, til right at the end, so that we can all jump and dance together. As the stage clears and the crowd begins to disperse, a very sweaty topless man walks past me, and says “love yourself” - the hook of ‘Television’ and a statement from the IDLES manifesto (as it were). This band spread love, compassion, community and more unlike any other band in the world of rock right now. I, for one, am proud that a band with this statement of intent can sell out a venue like Alexandra Palace. Here’s to album number three.