17 Comments

Thanks for turning me on to IDLES!

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You are welcome to my PSA!

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Yes! I feel the same way. I saw this tour with IDLES and Fontaines D.C. at the rock and roll hotel (rip) in D.C. (washington not dublin). Really loved both of these bands at the time (still do, but this was peak IDLES imo) and it was an amazing cathartic experience in a small club. The best kind.

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You were at the venue I kind of wanted to drive to - if I hadn't been moving that day! And yes, while I don't want it to have been peak IDLES, I am sure consensus remains that Joy... was their best album to date. Here's hoping Tangk takes them a step up. Cheers.

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I probably like Brutalism the best and enjoy both Joy and Ultramono. Tangk sounds sort of promising...

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Interesting. As I wrote, Brutalism alone would not have done it for me, though I did not hear it until I'd already heard Joy, which I think stands (too far) above their others...

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Love IDLES. They are the real deal. Your article got me thinking about my favorite gig of this century.... hands down, GREEN DAY at Irving Plaza on September 12, 2012. Billy Joe was in complete meltdown mode 9 days later in Vegas, then thankfully got sober, but for this one insane gig, he was possessed by the spirit of Rawk rebellion, the band relentless as they hammerd out 39 songs! It was my son Luca's first authentic rock concert. What a way to begin your rock 'n' roll journey. BJA was jumping off of the speakers into the audience, his playing and singing spot on. He was riveting, and I'm a jaded music freak and musician. As Elvis once said, "Rock 'n' roll, if you like it, you can't help but move to it!"

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I am so glad I could inspire you to your own thoughts, and the Green Day show sounds perfect. Not only was it an invigorated band, with pedigree, in a small venue, on fire.... but it was your son's first "authentic" rock concert. (What was the inauthentic one(s) prior?) Definitely a memory to treasure. Cheers Mark.

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The first show he attended six-months earlier at the same venue with his best friend Will was Calexico. Not exactly "rock," more "Americana noir" IMHO. I thought it a gentle entry into music that I liked. And, I was standing next to PJ Harvey. He didn't know her, but I was chuffed.

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Great read, Tony!

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Thank you Joe.

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Hey, I was at that show! My fave twin bill since Husker Du / R.E.M. at Harvard’s indoor track and tennis center (3/22/84).

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You were? Where do you live, Bill? And you obviously had better things to do that evening at 7pm than still be running hills! BTW, as listed, that was your best double bill in 35 years. It definitely felt that way. (There's another post in the best duble bills, isn't there?) Cheers.

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I fucking love IDLES, even before they covered a G4 song. I haven’t seen them live, timing and geography buggering me up every time...or the weather (I also had tickets to that racetrack show on my side of Boston). Ah, well. They should take us out on tour as the “cool grandpas” on the bill!

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If you think you love IDLES on record Hugo, just wait till you see them live. I am so glad I saw them on that tour, I do feel like it was peak "breaking band". Also, that's right, you're in Boston. Well, last weekend ran a little tight but I have an open invitation to stay with Dana and family so hopefully I will be back soon.

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Great piece. Thanks for switching me on to IDLES - agreed, Danny Nedelko is a special song and video, filmed in an area of Bristol I’ve visited a few times. Community!

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If I switched you on to them this morning then I'm a happy man. And actually, knowing your taste somewhat from your posts, that;s great you got into them. I watched back that Danny Nedelko video for the post and it was all I could do not to shed emotional tears... Joy? Resistance? Does it matter? It is that good. Cheers.

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