LIVE REVIEW: Idles @ Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

A date that has been rescheduled three separate times because of COVID-19 and then Storm Eunice, Bristol-based IDLES were finally able to take to the stage at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.

Carmarthen trio ADWAITH was support for the evening and proved to be an extremely fitting choice. This band’s efforts over the last few years have evidently paid off and culminate in this, which may be the biggest gig of their career so far. They’re an extremely well-oiled machine and are just a really solid band. The end of every single song in their set is met with enthusiastic cheers from those who braved the cold to get here early and see them.

Among this crowd are some obvious fans of the band. They are pretty well known among the Welsh music scene and are finally garnering some recognition further afield with their unique take on what many will immediately perceive to be generic indie music. At a first listen this may be the case, until you realise that they are singing in Welsh. This band and the fact that they have opened for one of the biggest British bands at the moment is a real triumph for the Welsh language and its speakers. It is extremely invigorating to see a band that is paving a path for other native Welsh bands play one of the biggest stages in their capital city.

Rating: 8/10

And then the wait from an impatient crowd until a group of figures amble onto the stage with no fuss or fanfare. That familiar drum sound and droning bass that begins Colossus whips the crowd into an immediate frenzy. The first three songs of any set are a chaotic blur for any music photographer as this is the only opportunity, we have to photograph the artists, and this is no exception to that rule.

In fact, it may be at least 10x worse than any other gig we’ve had the chance to photograph. Before the end of their opening track, the audience has already been ordered to split in two ready for the ending and they follow orders directly from vocalist Joe Talbot. IDLES are known for the energy that surrounds their live shows and tonight was a prime example of why that is. Before we can even leave the photo pit, we end up sharing the space with guitarist Lee Kiernan, who has decided to jump down off the stage and into (or onto) the crowd, all while still playing guitar.

This band have an absolutely huge sound and everyone in the room can tell they are passionate about their work and music. They play all of their audience favourites throughout their hour and a half long set, including Mother, I’m Scum, and of course Never Fight A Man With A Perm, which all make the audience go crazy. The amount of stamina some of these people must have is astounding. The tour itself is in support of 2021’s Crawler yet the set seems scarce of its tracks. The audience don’t seem to complaining about this at all though and make the most of the set.

IDLES have evidently been waiting to play this date just as long as the audience have been waiting to see it. They have truly shown why they are selling out larger venues like the Motorpoint Arena with a set that is filled with high energy, tight performances and dark lyrics. It really was third time lucky for IDLES.

Rating: 9/10

Check out our photo gallery of the night’s action in Cardiff from Megan Jenkins Photography here: 

Like IDLES on Facebook.