IDLES | Nashville, TN
Nashville was filled with anticipation to see the British punk band IDLES on September 16, 2024. Marathon Music Works was almost sold out with a sweaty crowd that moved all night long. The band English Teacher opened the night with a sharp yet calming vibe, the most fitting prelude to the wild night ahead.
Hailing from Leeds, the quartet English Teacher offered a polished and potent act, and frontwoman Lily Fontaine stunned the crowd with her angelic voice. The band has been active since 2020 when they met at Leeds Conservatory, and their song “Nearly Daffodils” was named one of the best songs of 2023 by Time magazine. This song was included in the Nashville set and fans were moving along with Fontaine. They played a lot of hits from their debut album This Could be Texas and the band joked that “This Could be Tennessee”. In between songs the band shared their first ever experience with Chick-Fil-A, and other American food chains that are not accessible to the crew. The band has an infectious sound that is both raw and refined. Their introspective and explosive tracks draw from post-punk, alternative rock and even math rock. Fontaine thanked the fans that showed up to see them early and announced that IDLES was up next.
The crowd screamed when the lights went down and you could feel the energy across the entire venue. Whenever Joe Talbot joined the rest of the band onstage you could hear people clapping from every corner of the place. The punk band started playing IDEA 01 from their brand new album TANGK and this moment brought even more anticipation to the crowd. Colossus from their groundbreaking album Joy As an Act of Resistance was the second song and the venue responded with fervor, matching the band's energy with every chord and lyric. The seamless transition into “Colossus” showcased their ability to blend sonic ferocity with lyrical depth. Talbot’s commanding presence and unfiltered charisma immediately engaged the audience, connecting the entire band to the audience almost instantly. Guitarist Lee Kiernan quickly went to the crowd, and the fans held him while he played infectious riffs. Visually, the performance was as dynamic as the music itself. The stage was alive with lights that pulsed and swirled in rhythm with the music, while Talbot and his bandmates moved with an almost frenetic intensity that captivated the audience. At one point Talbot asked the entire venue to go down on the floor and sing the “new British national anthem” - and started screaming “fuck the king”. Quickly the entire venue followed him and he sang I’m Scum. A particularly poignant moment of the evening was when Talbot shared a heartfelt story about how he overcame his drug and alcohol addiction. He told the crowd “share your fears with the ones you love, because it can save you”. He also thanked his band for sticking with him through everything.The crowd left Marathon Music Works knowing that IDLES proved once again why they are one of the most formidable forces in contemporary punk rock.
