IDLES + CAVA in Leipzig, Germany

Gig Review by Amelie Brenner

Edited by Miyuki Wang

IDLES are a masterclass in punk - but don't tell them that! They don't like being stuck in a drawer or having to deal with a label being stamped onto them. Why do I do it then? – to give you an idea of what you're in. Post-punk to be precise, at least that's what the mainstream says. The British Band was formed in 2009 and consists of Joe Talbot as the Frontman, Mark Bowen on the Guitar as well as Lee Kiernan, Adam Devonshire on the Bass and Jon Beavis responsible for the Drums. They are known for their energy-packed performances, their catchy tunes and their more – or less hidden political messages.

Ironically, that's also where I discovered them the first time. A few years ago I listened to the Punk Essentials playlist on Spotify and there it hit me, "Mother," a song from their first album Brutalism, which was also the first song I added to my own playlist.

That being said, the foundation was set and the itch to see them live grew ever stronger. All of a sudden their name showed up at almost every festival and they performed alongside some really big artists like Sam Fender, Wolf Alice, Fontaines D.C., Florence + The Machine and many more, which I also really like. I was mesmerised by their performance on the KEXP at Home - Livestream and so I finally decided to get tickets for them. At that time I found myself in a spiral, going back and forth between Spotify and videos of their live concerts.

As luck would have it I finally managed to get a couple of tickets but sadly not in my general area. This however was just a minor inconvenience because I was in such high spirits. I then proceeded to grab a couple of friends and the road trip began.

Fast forward...because you wouldn't miss much, to be honest (just us getting hyped and a few beers here and there). We arrived at the venue maybe half an hour before the show started, which gave us enough time to easily get into a queue and to look at the area.

The Täubchental as it is called is located in Leipzig, Germany and it has both an outdoor area with a really friendly vibe, thanks to the many sitting opportunities, the nice lighting and a bunch of plants as well as an indoor area where the main stage is housed. The indoor area is also home to one big balcony which offers an excellent view of the stage and dance floor; it's also a place to be if you want merch from your favourite artist. Both areas are linked through the bar so you can order your drinks from in– and outside. There is a capacity for 3950 people 1450 in - and 2500 outside.

Lead by women - that's what the location prides itself on. That is also true for CAVA, the local support act from Berlin. The garage duo was formed in 2020 and consists of Mela on the Drums and Peppi on the Guitar, both of them do Vocals. I personally have rarely seen a support act that created such an amazing atmosphere (they just announced their first album by the way Damage Control; go check them out). I think it's really important to support your local artists, cause it's a great opportunity to discover hidden gems and expand your horizon.

After 30 to about 45 mins, the main act finally started and the beginning was just as good as the end of the support act, if not better. IDLES started their set with a bang, Colossus; the first song already had the crowd going mental to the point there was a Wall of Death in just the first couple of minutes. Speaking of the crowd, the people attending the concert were quite varied, every age group was present but the biggest part was made up of 20-30-year-olds. The only thing unifying everyone was the fact that nobody was able to stop moving during the concert. I have seen a few concerts and I could probably count on one hand how many bands were this energetic but I can comfortably say that the IDLES were one of them. Between trying to stay on my feet, clapping and screaming the lyrics along at the top of my lungs I managed to get a few looks at the balcony which was also full of people. And in their faces, I could only see what I can describe as disbelief at how much went on down below them. It was like the crowd was feeding off the band's energy and the band took that energy straight back, therefore providing even more to the audience, they basically motivated each other to go above and beyond.

A big part of that also was the stage presence of Joe Talbot, the way he bounced around the stage felt so inviting to join in and when he locked eyes with his fans it felt so intense. But to be fair, all the band members did an excellent job interacting with the crowd. At one point the band had us go down on our knees and chant alongside them against the Royal Family; "Fuck the queen" it echoed over and over again. Just a couple of moments later during 'Danny Nedelko' the lead guitarist Bowen decided to come into the crowd and he was literally carried by his feet as he sang the lyrics of their next song.

This incident also marked the show slowly coming to an end but it was a worthy finale in my eyes. The lights started to come on again and everywhere I looked, people were out of breath and smiling, myself included. We met some very kind people and die-hard fans and had some lovely conversations with all of them. Sadly we did not get to see the band in person since we had to leave early. But maybe next time, in the future there is a chance for that.

It really was my favourite Concert in the Year 2022. If you have the chance to witness them live I would totally recommend it, they won't disappoint. But maybe not if you are looking for a very chill experience, it might be a bit much then, you'll have to see for yourself ;)

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SETLIST (14/Jun/2022)

Colossus

Car Crush

Mr. Motivator

Grounds

Mother

Faith in the City

Meds

Divide and Conquer

The Beachland Ballroom

Never Fight a Man With a Perm

Crawl!

1049 Gotho

When the Lights Come On

The Wheel

Television

War

Stendhal Syndrome

I'm Scum

Danny Nedelko

Rottweiler

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Check out IDLES on their official website, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube and Instagram.

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We're feeling extremely lucky to have amazing Amelie writing about one of our favourite bands IDLES for our page - IDLES at Brixton Academy in London was the first gig of the year for me in 2022 and I couldn't ask for a better start to the year. A fierce, impassioned performance delivered with so much care and sincerity; it was a gig with an extraordinary atmosphere and a mad crowd.

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