Live Review + Gallery | IDLES @ Marble Factory, Bristol

IDLES

Marble Factory, Bristol

Saturday 17th February 2024

Photography by Anna Hatfield (@anna.h_photos)

IDLES return to Bristol for a huge homecoming celebration of their new album TANGK, showing off tracks new and old with insane stage presence

Love them or hate them, you can’t deny that IDLES‘ return to Bristol on Saturday was an incredibly impressive gig. With Marble Factory packed wall to wall with fans eager to taste the new record TANGK live, there was a real feeling of anticipation brewing in the huge hanger.

The gig was teased as an ‘album release show’, leaving fans wondering what they were in store for. Would it be a full run through of the new record? Would their rowdy fan favourites be forgotten in the dust for their newer, more experimental sound? Luckily for everyone, there was a bit of everything thrown in.

Kicking off with new track ‘IDEA 01’ was an interesting choice, with the slow burn and tinkling pianos creating an uneasy atmosphere in the crowd. It’s an intriguing start to the new album and an even more intriguing start to their new setlist.

With the more boisterous ‘Gift Horse’ up next, the room suddenly sprang to life. With Talbot’s screams of “Fuck the king. He ain’t the king, she’s the king”, the band exploded, with just as much passion and energy as their early days. You’d be forgiven for thinking IDLES were heading for a full run of their new album at this point, but soon, the familiar blasting drums of ‘Car Crash’ derailed the setlist in the best way possible.

The rest of the set was a wonderfully messy surprise blast through their discography, with ‘Mr Motivator’ and ‘Mother’ hitting especially hard. Seeing the latter live is an unreal experience; you can imagine how liberating it is to scream ‘MOTHERFUCKER’ in a crowded room at a band who look just as furious to see you as they are delighted.

IDLES blasted through most of ‘TANGK’ with the slower tracks understandably not getting as much of an audience response as the heavier ones. This is a divisive band and it’s refreshing to see them try new things when they have such a passionate fanbase who would happily take ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance’ ten times over.

‘Dancer’ hit especially hard in a live setting; with its joyous energy coming to life in the crowd, it finally clicked with me how great of a tune it really is. With the classic ‘Rottweiler’ rounding things off, IDLES used up any remaining energy to hit as hard as they possibly could.

There really was something for everyone on Saturday and, with a refreshing mix of more experimental cuts and straight up punk, IDLES have truly mastered their setlist.

Check out the full gallery below: