18 January 2024 – Riverstage, Brisbane – words by Cody-James Henderson – pictures by Bec Harbour
Punk Rock. A genre of influence, direction, rebellion, anarchy, aggression… Love? Well it depends. Passion is Love. Respect is Love. Even to hate something is to be in love with its opposite. So what happens if you don’t have love to call on? You create it. Or at least in the case of UK Punks IDLES, that’s the fing you do.
Never shying away from the toughest battles, IDLES have built their careers on their beliefs, resistance, persistence and resilience. These beliefs changed slightly direction to creating an album of love for Album number 5. What was born was TANGK, a Grammy nominated collection of a wholesome redirection of Punk and what it stands for. The band have recently landed in Australia for the beginning of the ‘Love Is the Fing 25’ World Tour, bringing with them Nation of Language and embracing local Brisbane legends VOIID to bring the love to Brisbane on night 1 of the tour.
VOIID: The presence of feminism, riot grrrl and the defiance of gender norms has been prevalent in the punk scene since the first waves of the early 70s. 5 decades on, it continues to thrive with more and more opportunities, presence and representation which is where tonight’s show begins in the form of VOIID. The local icons are no strangers to the biggest punk shows the city has had to offer, supporting the likes of NOFX, La Dispute and Descendents over the course of their short and illustrious career so far. “I’ve been listening to IDLES since I was a child man. I’m shaking” as the floor begins to fill with fans eager to sight the here, now & future of all things Aus Punk.
VOIID – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
As bodies stand and embark down the hill, the energy only increases as the volume limits of the speakers are tested. Distortion, Rawness, Melodically Harrowing, VOIID brings all of this wrapped in Joy. Even during honest statements of mental health challenges, the smiles on his he faces of the four piece shine through causing them to reflect in the moment of exactly where they are right now. The band goes on record to say how grateful they are to be “gifted” such an opportunity to be here, but to that I say; it’s beyond a gift, a band like VOIID using their platform to be open, honest and openly themselves not just on such a large stage but as their basis of their musical careers. This is not just gift, this is hard work. This was earned, and frankly well deserved.
Nation of Language: On a show with the likes of IDLES, you would expect all supports to be bouncing off the walls, high frenzy out of control abrasive rock and roll of the here and now. But breaking the raucousness are Nation of Language, an indie pop trio from New York City making their debut in Australia. The storm filled skies of Brisbane are broken by the exuberant new wave performance taking place, as beautiful strobe lighting accompanies what I can best describe as The Smiths meets New Order set in an art film from the early 2010s. It feels so out of place but yet so at home. It’s like a metalhead cuddling a kitten, it shouldn’t fit the appearance but it does.
Nation of Language – Riverstage – Photos by Bec Harbour
Vocalist Ian Devaney elegantly balances a powerhouse set of vocals with a crowd controlling performance, not demanding the spotlight to follow him, but instead creating one wherever he goes. Like magnets, I can’t take my eyes from this. “Thank you for coming out early to see VOIID and us. Not a lot of people do that so that makes you good people.” I would argue that this performance has made us better people, and those who have ln’t yet shown up are missing out on something beautiful. Aiden Noell and Alex MacKay complete the 3 piece with Keys and Guitar, and their efforts create this beautiful soundscape that accompanies the torrential downpour.
The cold weather is broken by the warmth of whites and yellows spanning the building ocean of souls. No amount of torrential downpour could truly dampen the spirits what we’re witnessing right now. To create something new in the world of music in the year of 2025 is no easy feat. But to bring the past to the present and shape it so elegantly into something refreshing is indescribably fantastic. Its honours foundations of New Wave without injustice, setting forward in motion a whole new approach of endearment. Even though Nation Of Language was founded in 2016, I feel as if I have watched the next biggest thing in music happen right before my eyes. A pleasure is an understatement to what these 30 minutes have been.
IDLES: What do you get when you cross one of the most popular punk bands in the world with a torrential downpour of rain, in an outdoors venue on a slanted grassy hill with thousands of punters on a Saturday night? An absolute adrenaline rush of the highest order. Let the madness begin. For a tour based on album written about a ‘fing’ called love, there was an energy in the air that simply said ‘mayhem’. And even during the mellow opening of ‘IDEA 01’ there was a level of angst building to a point of explosive reaction, culminating in ‘Colossus’ building to the eruption that you could’ve seen coming from the moment this mammoth tour was announced.
Idles – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Talbot commands the crowd to split into two sides before sending them into each other, as well as guitarist Mark Bowen; complete with guitar and dress on top of the frenzy occurring. “Fuck the king. He ain’t the king she’s the king” This triumphant collection of voices in solidarity continued through a career span of hits that included ‘Gift Horse’ ‘Mr Motivator’ and feminist anthem ‘Mother’ and as the rain continued to fall even harder, the energy within the crowd only increased. Every single shouting phrase, every feminist war cry, every anti racist call out, the crowd was matching every ounce of sweat being poured out by IDLES.
As Talbot speaks about how getting into a room with a band turns his downward spiral into a beautiful life, sometimes you forget that these people that makes such a difference in our lives are just that; people. Everyday people we just pass in the street that just happen to make beautiful life changing music. And it was in this very beautiful moment, that Talbot and crew pop into the incredible “I’m Scum”. Talk about poetic. “If you would like to join in, the new British National Anthem; Fuck The King”.
The cathartic eulogy of ‘The Wheel’ a song about alcohol addiction as well the death of Talbot’s mother redirects into a pro-Palestine “Viva Palestina” finale as flags raised in the crowd garner massive ovation. To some on the outside, this may just be pandering but what it really is, is a group using their platform to stand against horrific war crimes against innocent people. It’s important, it’s valued, and it sure as hell is what punk is all about. Free Palestine.
Idles – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Generations fill tonight’s show. Families with little children in oversized IDLES shirts are spread all across the area, absolutely saturated from head to toe. Whilst not my first choice for a family date night, seeing an entirely new generation of fans that may not have even been born when the band released their first ep was released having the absolute time of their life, whether it be singing, dancing or absolutely losing their minds for ‘Divide & Conquer’ like the two little ones near me did making a run for the mosh pit to “rock out”, this is why All Ages is important. This is why Punk Rock is important. This is why music in general is important.
The stellar light show that accompanied ‘POP POP POP’ may not go down well with the fans who followed the band since their early DIY days of simplistic stage shows, but it has to be respected the levels of effort the band puts into rewarding fans for attending a live show. If it isn’t the lights, it’s Talbot awkwardly dancing across the stage. If it’s not Talbot’s dancing, it’s the guitar tandem of Mark Bowen and Lee Kiernan getting into the crowd (whilst still playing might I add) and adding to the chaos. And if it’s not that, it’s the constant appreciation being shown to every single person that fills this place. For a whole 2 hours it was always something, it never ceased to keep everyone engaged.
The contrast from the slow romantic ballad that is ‘The Beachland Ballroom’ into the Toxic Masculinity attacking ‘Never Fight a Man With A Perm’ is the exact combination I would use to introduce a new fan to IDLES. And I say they would be a fan because IDLES are for absolutely everyone. Well almost everyone. The racists, sexists, transphobic, homophobic, ignorant, self proclaimed alpha males, right wing facists and abusers need not apply.
Idles – Riverstage – photos by Bec Harbour
Signing off with ‘Dancer’ ‘Danny Nedelko’ (complete with the crowd passing around the Palestinian Flag) and the ever aggressive ‘Rottweiler’ its generally hard to believe that 2 hours have already gone by. Wholesome Hoolaginism, a call to brothers and sisters in arms, a free Palestine and positive male role models. The redirection of Masculinity from toxic to positive is here, and IDLES are the men of the hour tonight in Brisbane. Hate is no more. Love is the fing. And so we begin.
