IDLES + CROWS – BRIGHTON DOME CONCERT HALL 29.03.19
The Brighton & Hove News are very pleased to bring you the IDLES concert thoughts by the legendary Queen of Punk, Jordan, who is a massive fan of the band.
Jordan is famed as being the highly visible style icon of the early days of the London punk scene, when she worked at Malcolm McLaren and Vivienne Westwood’s SEX boutique in the Kings Road. This was THE place where the Sex Pistols formed and hung out with other contemporaries of the time including Adam Ant – who incidentally Jordan went onto manage with his band The Ants – and the resident DJ in the SEX boutique was the Rebel Dread, Don Letts.
These days Jordan is deservedly treated as punk royalty, as she was there from the very beginning of the scene and I guess it’s well deserved when you’ve hung out with David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Andy Warhol, Siouxsie Sioux, Johnny Thunders, The Ramones, The Damned…in fact it might be quicker to list the famous people who she didn’t hang out with.
In just a few weeks, Jordan will be releasing her much anticipated biography entitled ‘Defying Gravity: Jordan’s Story’, which she has penned with Cathi Unsworth. This is going to be an essential read for many hundreds of thousands of people up and down the country and in fact there is going to be a special launch event at the 100 Club on Monday 29th April. This will feature a Q&A session and book signing with Jordan and Cathi, DJ sets and a live performance by another of Jordan’s current favourite bands Ming City Rockers. Tickets for the event are available to purchase from HERE.
For those that are unable to attend the signing, the book can be purchased from several sources including Rough Trade and Amazon.
As the Brighton & Hove News attended the IDLES Brighton Dome concert with Jordan, we thought it only fitting for her to let you guys know how she felt about IDLES and the evening, so here it is, enjoy………………..
I’d been looking forward to this gig for a long time and it’s the third foray into the world of IDLES for me and certainly not the last.
I was a touch worried that the venue may not suit this band, but I shouldn’t have worried at all. IDLES have an army of devoted fans that consider themselves as an extension of one large family, which is exactly the impression the band give of themselves on stage.
The first time I saw them was at Concorde2 in Brighton last October. Guitarist Mark Bowen ended up standing next to me after a crowd surf and we were watching on at the rest of the band, which just proves how accessible they want to make themselves. Read the report of that gig HERE.
Again at the 100 Club in London back in February, I had a good chat with him after the gig, when he came out to see the audience. Nothing at all precious about these guys and so earnest and forthright about what they believe in which is all the good and fair things in life like saving our NHS and bashing down the barriers of racism.
They also shout out loudly for the outsider in society, but without any element of preaching which would be an easy trap to fall into.
IDLES make a stand for equality and it shows in how they interact with each other on stage with every single band member sharing the limelight and the joy and exuberance of the show.
All of their songs have clear meaning to them, which is perfectly mirrored by the crowd who refreshingly know just about every word of every song and sing it out with as much gusto as IDLES singer Joe Talbot does himself.
Great night, great crowd and great band and such a happy atmosphere pre and post gig. All in all a feel good night charged with intent and empowerment which had a lasting effect long after the show was over.
More information: www.idlesband.com
