May 13, 2024 Hollywood Palladium IDLES plus Protomartyr Words by Lawrence Mann Pictures by A Rood Photo
There were some who arrived early to secure a close spot on the floor, then there were others who got there early to see the openers, either way, everyone had the same idea. The room was packed from the get-go. The lights went down, camera phones were held high, and the show began with a twinkling keyboard track. Immediately someone was wheeled out in a wheelchair having passed out from overheating and this happened before the first note line was sung.
IDLES songs are bass heavy, menacing and chant inducing. “My mother worked 17 hours a day,” “I’m a Car Crash,” “I Pissed in the Kitchen Sink” are all examples.
Check out the full gallery of photos from this night by A Rood Photo here.
Joe Talbot is a compelling frontman. He explained to the crowd that he wrote the next song, “I’m Scum,” about a very dark time in his life, which included drugs and getting arrested by the same ‘coppers’ every time. He told us music helped him and that the reaction from the people kept him alive. He dedicated the song to the Palestinians and briefly talked about their plight.
Meanwhile, in the pit, which was nearly the entire room, folks were slamming; crowd surfing; shoes, hoodies and sweat were all flying. The excitement was supercharged. Joe said that we in America we just celebrated Mother’s Day and went on to say his mother celebrated by drinking herself to death and that he celebrated by NOT drinking himself to death. He went on to say it was a privilege to be standing in front of us.
At the end of Mother, he chanted Viva Palestina over and over. IDLES proved to be one of the better live acts out there. Joe then crooned Frank Sinatra’s When I Was 17, before breaking into When the Lights Come On. Near the end of their set Joe dedicated a song to Steve Albini and everyone that was influenced or affected by him. As Joe stated on the last song of the night, “that was the fastest two hours of my life.” I had to agree. I felt like I had just walked into the venue, yet it was now 11:15PM! The saying is true, fun times go by extremely fast. Thanks to the boys from Bristol, the crowd was pogoing, swaying, surfing, screaming and head bopping from start to finish.
The opening act, Protomartyr were well received. Musically, they are very similar to IDLES and it was a great fit.
“Protomartyr is an American post-punk band formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 2010. The band consists of Joe Casey (vocals), Greg Ahee (guitar), Alex Leonard (drums), and Scott Davidson (bass). In 2020, Kelley Deal joined the band in a touring capacity, providing additional keyboards, guitar and backing vocals.
To date, the band has released six studio albums: No Passion All Technique (2012), Under Color of Official Right (2014), The Agent Intellect (2015), Relatives in Descent (2017), Ultimate Success Today (2020) and Formal Growth in the Desert (2023).” (From Wikipedia.)
IDLES Setlist:
Idea 01
Colossus
Gift Horse
Mr. Motivator
Mother
Car Crash
I’m Scum
1049 Gotho
The Wheel
Jungle
War
Whizz
When The Lights Come On
Benzocaine
Gratitude
Divide & Conquer
POP POP POP
Television
Crawl!
The Beachland Ballroom
Never Fight A Man With A Perm
All I Want For Christmas Is You (Mariah Carey cover -acapella)
Dancer
Danny Nedelko
Rottweiler
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