30th Novemeber 2024

Idles performed after hand picked support acts in a memorable gig. Lambrini Girls showcased their punk feminism with energetic performances, while Battles offered complex math-rock. Idles delivered a two-hour set, exploring themes of connection and loss, culminating in a powerful finale.

Lambrini Girls

Brighton based duo Lambrini Girls are a high energy riot, gradually building a fanbase and reputation whilst annoying most of the right people with their brand of pro-LGBQT+ punk rock feminism.

Phoebe Lunny opens with, “Alexandra Palace, are you ready to fuck!!” Ummmm, well I came for the music to be honest – but it signals the start of the high energy assault that follows for the next 30 minutes. Those already familiar knew what to expect but a couple of thousand other people who got down early enough were rapidly converted to the cause.

There is no doubting their gung-ho authenticity. Lunny spends nearly as much time in the crowd as on stage. “Shall we mosh, or shall we do something really stupid?”, she says shortly before trying to organise a human pyramid – prompting the swiftest movements from security seen all evening.

The tunes hit hard; ‘Love’, ‘Company Culture’ and in particular ‘God’s Country’ are all present and correct. Their brand of righteous glass ceiling smashing and acerbic wit are unsubtle but depressingly necessary in what is still predominantly a man’s world. The anti-police tirade goes a step too far, however when less than 8% of the sexual assaults that are even bothered to be reported ends in a prosecution it is clear that the system is still very much part of the problem. It is too short a set, and we are all left wanting more, but I am sure they will be back to deliver again once the album drops in January.

Battles

American noughties survivors Battles are the indie math-rock equivalent of free jazz, moments of genius buried under a lot of noodling around, most definitely not everyone’s cup of tea. The audience is receptive, though, and plenty seem to remember that brief moment in 2007 when ‘Atlas’ was being hailed as a musical evolution. Joe Talbot described them later as an important influence who showed Idles there was a different way to be a band. Regardless of your take, John Stanier is an absolute hero of a drummer. His work rate for the 30-minute set is off the chart, flitting between various complex patterns.

Idles

Starting with a slow burn ‘IDEA 01’, things gradually increase in intensity as ‘Colossus’ unfurls. Another track in and somehow Joe Talbot has managed to draw blood from his face, the claret dripping down onto the shoulder of his crisp white t-shirt and spreading out into a stain. A couple of tracks later, he dismisses it briefly with, “Someone’s bleeding.” Whilst sometimes unfairly dismissed as not authentic, Idles are happy to prove they will bleed for their art.

In all they play for two hours without a break, a commendable effort that still doesn’t find time for recent Tangk single ‘Grace’ or old-time favourite ‘Well Done.’ At times it is relentless and the crowd responds with pogoing, moshing and waves of crowd surfing. Right up against the barrier (having parked my tank on the lawn early) I just about get away with the need for minimal evasive manoeuvres, though it would have been a more pleasant experience had the event security guy, who kept leaning past me, happened to have had a wash at any point in the previous week.

‘Mother’ has lost little of it’s howling rage in the seven years since ‘Brutalism’ excitingly heralded their arrival. Joe explains it is now 10 years since his mother died from alcoholism. He shares that he now believes she somehow felt alone, even when in a room filled by people who loved her, and ruminates on the importance of making connections with family and friends as often and as honestly as possible.

‘Love Song’ is used as an excuse for a bizarre open mic session. Guitarist and keyboard player Mark Bowen heads to the crowd and asks people in turn for their favourite love song. Requests vary and Joe Talbot either picks up on them, or ignores them, leading to playful snatches of mangled tunes including ‘Nothing Compares to You,’ ‘My Hero,’ Someone Like You’ and… funniest of all… a tongue in cheek rendition of ‘All I Want For Christmas.’

After suggesting they are on their last song they then proceed to keep going for four more. ‘Never Fight a Man With a Perm,’ ‘Dancer,’ ‘Danny Nedelko’ and ‘Rottweiler’ making for a blistering ending to a fantastic gig. There is just a little bit of time for more gratitude from the band before they depart, love, apparently, is the ‘fing’ after all.