IDLES @ 9:30 Club [DC] - 10/18/2021
Joe Talbot of IDLES leading the rabid pack at 9:30 Club (Photo ©2021 Mauricio Castro)
Organized chaos and boundless joy - that is what an IDLES concert is all about. The Bristol, England punk quintet have made a name for themselves for their bombastic, sharp-as-knives musical offensive against toxic masculinity, British conservatives, and fascists (See “Never Fight A Man With A Perm” from 2018’s Joy as an Act of Resistance. or “Grounds” from 2020’s Ultra Mono.) Though they just released Ultra Mono thirteen months ago, they have a new album on the way in early November, titled Crawler, and with it came two sold-out nights at DC’s 9:30 Club.
The group played two new songs from the upcoming album - “The Wheel” and “Car Crash,” while riling up the crowd with older favorites like the foreboding and rowdy “Colossus” (the set opener) and the circle pit-inducing “Rottweiler” (the set closer). From start to finish, there was no shortage of crowd surfers, mosh pits, swirling circle pits, and walls of death. Joe Talbot’s relentless vocals and command of the moshers, Mark Bowen’s own crowd surfing (and crowd-standing), Lee Kiernan’s wailing of the guitar while standing atop the bar supplied the fuel for fans to completely release all inhibitions and make it an unforgettable night for everyone involved.
Crawler will be released on November 12 through Partisan Records.
Opening for IDLES was NYC post-punk group Gustaf, whose sense of humor shines in their pointed lyrics as much as they do in singer Lydia Gammill’s wild stage presence, reminiscent of David Byrne or YACHT’s Claire Evans. Their debut album Audio Drag for Ego Slobs is out now through Royal Mountain Records.
Photos by Mauricio Castro
Covid Safety Rating
Venue Check for Proof of Vaccination? Yep
Masks required? Yep
Was the audience wearing masks? 90% - surprisingly, a very masked mosh pit ensued
But at least the staff was wearing masks, right? Yep