“If you don’t like cliches, fuck yourselves.”
As I get older, I have to admit that I really appreciate having a barricade to shoot photos from. I get that it’s not most audience member’s cup ‘o tea, but when you’re lugging around 5k worth of camera equipment it’s nice to not have to worry quite as much about being shoved around by rabid fans. This is one of the reasons why I tend to truly enjoy concerts at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood.
It had been a while since the last show I’d seen there, but words can’t quite describe the excitement flowing through my veins as I entered the front doors. I was finally going to see a band who hooked me instantly two years ago and has been in heavy rotation on my Spotify ever since: IDLES. If that weren’t awesome enough, they brought a support act, Irish post-rocker’s Fontaines D.C. – FDC for short – to sharpen up the crowd of eager fans.
Whether it’s because of traffic or typical hipster attitudes, LA crowds are notorious for not turning out until the last couple of songs of the opening act’s set, but the Fonda already had a pretty decent crowd when FDC hit the stage. While not strictly sounding like Joy Division, the lyrical influence is definitely there. These boys from Ireland play fucking loud and kick some serious ass.
When he’s not singing, vocalist Grian Chatten stalks the stage, only staying still enough to sing into the microphone when he needs to. The whole band plays straight to the crowd and rarely turns away, which may not mean much to some, but has always meant a lot to me. It forces a recognition of each other as audience and performers, as if to say: we are here for you. They’re simply put: Fucking Great and Chatten’s lyrical poetry is a welcome change from the typically all direction anger of most punk-ish bands. I truly can’t wait to see where they go from this point.
While I had an inkling of what I might be getting into from some of the better known live videos floating around on youtube, I still wasn’t fully prepared for just how much fun I was about to have. To put it plainly: IDLES is the most exciting band I’ve seen in a long time. They’re unpredictable, have the energy of teenagers, and play damn good music all while encouraging love, acceptance, understanding, and compassion. If they sound angry, it’s because their anger is righteous.
Seeing them perform makes it clear that the title of their second album – Joy as an act of resistance. – is also a mission statement. It’s a battle cry. A hymn. A resounding fuck you to the face of fascism, as well as the physical and mental violence that we seem to be so fond of perpetuating in our society. I’ve also never seen a band so graciously appreciative of their place on the stage. I mean, when was the last time, IF EVER, you saw a band say: “Thank you for making us feel welcome and safe in this space.” Let alone, a fiery rock and roll band? It was a first for me, that’s for sure.
When all is said and done, IDLES is probably one of those bands that every single person who likes rock and roll should see at least once. I’m not one of those people who are fond of making “Top Ten” lists, but if I had to make one they’d be in the top three. Their show is more than just a concert, it’s a goddamn experience, and one that should not be missed if it can be helped.
