IDLES – Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl came alive with raw energy as IDLES returned for their highly anticipated Australian tour. With support from Laura and the Hell Cutz and Nation of Language, the night was a thrilling mix of punk, post-punk, and alt acts that had fans buzzing long after the final note.
Kicking off the night was Melbourne’s own Laura and the Hell Cutz, a four-piece punk-grunge outfit making waves in the local scene. Their set, featuring tracks like In & Out, Flowers, Don’t Forget Me, and Porcelain Doll, showcased their unapologetically gritty sound and charisma. Performing in front of a rapidly growing crowd, the band delivered an opening set that set the tone for the evening – proving they are a local act to watch.
Next came New York’s Nation of Language, whose polished post-punk sound was a surprisingly stark yet complimentary contrast. Opening with What Does the Normal Man Feel?, their set was a masterclass in atmosphere, with tracks like Sole Obsession and Across That Fine Line showcasing their ability to balance emotional depth with danceable beats. Their highlight came with September Again, a track that saw the audience swaying along in a collective trance, cementing their place as a standout act.
By the time IDLES took the stage, the audience was primed and ready for chaos – and chaos is exactly what they delivered. Opening with IDEA 01, frontman Joe Talbot immediately set the tone; his ferocious delivery matching the song’s biting lyrics. The transition into Colossus was seamless, with Talbot splitting the crowd in half and declaring, ‘are you ready to collide? Are you ready for love? Viva Palestina!’
Tracks like Gift Horse and Mr. Motivator had the crowd howling along, while Mother provided a visceral moment of catharsis. Talbot’s commentary between songs was as impactful as the music itself. During Car Crash, he reflected on themes of insecurity and resilience, connecting deeply with the crowd with a ‘we could not have achieved anything without all of you’.
Asking the crowd ‘are there any scumbags in the audience?’, the audience went into a frenzy for I’m Scum, in which Talbot lead the crown into raucous chants of ‘f**k the king!’. Their trademark defiant energy continued with Roy, 1049 Gotho and Jungle, the latter described by Talbot as a song about getting arrested.
Slowing the pace, The Wheel offered an emotional reflection on Talbot’s relationship with his mother, while the equally reflective When the Lights Come On set a haunting atmosphere in the Bowl. The explosive energy returned with Divide and Conquer, an anti-fascist anthem that felt especially resonant in the current climate.
Gratitude and Benzocaine kept the intensity high, with the band seamlessly blending punk aggression and emotional vulnerability. By the time they reached POP POP POP, Samaritans, and Crawl!, the crowd was in full frenzy; feeding off the band’s unrelenting energy.
With the set nearing its end, The Beachland Ballroom provided a beautiful change up of pace, before the band unleashed the chaos of Never Fight a Man With a Perm. Their collab with LCD Soundsystem, Dancer, went absolutely off as the audience bopped along to every word. Telling the audience that their next song was ‘a song in celebration of the immigrants who built our country. Dedicated to the natives of your country. Dedicated to the people of Palestine’, the band ripped into Danny Nedelko – an ode to loving all.
Before we knew it, the set was at its end, with Talbot exclaiming ‘the bad news is this is the last song. The good news is it’s an anti-fascist song’. Needless to say, Rottweiler provided an incredible finish to the night – with crowd-surfing guitarists and a playful rendition of All I Want for Christmas is You thrown in for good measure.
IDLES proved why they are one of the most vital live acts in modern music.