Idles – Auckland Town Hall: January 16, 2025 (13th Floor Concert Review)
UK soulful punks IDLES brought their LOVE IS THE FING tour to Tamaki Makauarau tonight. This is their fourth visit to Aotearoa, with a lineup that has remained stable since 2015, another Glastonbury appearance and a Grammy nominated album Tangk in 2024 under their belts.
I almost didn’t make it to the show, long sold out, being deemed worthy to wordscribe about them can sometimes be a fickle affair. Fortuitously, lovely Michael from Live Nation came through as I was driving from Opoutere, and the cards were laid out.
Shepherds Reign
Shepherds Reign are proudly South Auckland metal, from the ghetto (singer Filiva’a James words tonight) a sight indeed, existing in many forms since 2013, Shepherds Reign are draped in fa’a samoa, the lavalava (black of course) adornments (possible Ula Lei), James’s Nifo’oti, which he handles throughout the show, the use of a Samoan slit drum, a Pātē, and songs sung in Gagana Sāmoa.
But then there’s the metal, the music that has also become part of their identities. As Shepherds Reign built up on guitar tones and Pātē drumming, and as opening song Ala Mai seemed to pause, the bands twin guitars launched an immediate effrontery of noise (not keystar tonight for James) pure metal in a Metallica meets Anthrax meets Iron maiden, synthesis, sounding much more intense, rawer than the recorded versions.
In a set of six or seven songs, Shepherds Reign, showcased their mana as musicians to a crowd likely not familiar with them, and in a performance that drew on their 2023’s album Ala Mai, (and a stonking version of Motorhead’s Iron Fist) they brought many in the audience to the Shepherds Reign fale, all the while emanating in metal, “E mamae le Tava’e i ona fulu” (We are proud of who we are and where we come from)
IDLES
Joe Talbot, pink haired, fronter, sometimes shaman of UK soul-filled punk band IDLES, looks fit as he prowls the stage, as the dulcet tones of the opener Idea 01(from 2023’s Tangk) build in the mighty Tamaki Makaurau hall. The whare, the mass (close to 2000) of people, the spectacle of equipment, dwarfs memories of seeing them for the first time back in 2019, when they played two club shows (sold out) Colossus overlaps Idea 01, gently, it has a slow build, the original has been focused, it tempts and tempts until Jon Beavis’s drumming explodes in rhythm and energy. Theatrics come early as Talbot is twirling his mic above the masses, then splits the floor crowd down the middle, followed by guitarist surfing, crowd surfing, we are barely wha or rima songs in.
But it’s not just a one-way street, on Mother, the audience revel in waiata along, or perhaps just being able to shout mother fucker many times over. Theatric continue, and as I’m Scum is prefaced by Talbot convincing, nigh on all to crouch down and chant the new British National Anthem (Fuck The King) In a Punk Rock for the masses moment, both guitarist invade the crowd, creating a swirling moshpit, the night’s version (no Danny Brown) of Pop Pop Pop sees the band bring danceability back to the floor. Of note, of unmissability, the steadfast combination of bassist Adam Devonshire and drummer Jon Beavis is a rhythmic powerhouse and fastidious undertow throughout the po, creating freedom for the others to get enamoured.
People, tangata, there is aroha emanating from Talbot as he effortlessly connects, korero’s with the audience. In respect, in appreciation, in hope he continuously battles against the pillars, forces, actors of ancient reaction. An IDLES show is not for the faint thinking, Talbot is like a long distance runner onstage, he has a goal, an outcome ahead, and he is trying, alongside his bandmates, to take everyone in the crowd to the finishing line.
When Crawl begins it”s like hearing the Sex Pistols for the first time as a teenager, the power and passion of this killer tune reignites the po, Dancer follows up with whimsical Talbort and bandmates pirouetting on stage. The love and connection is real as IDLES connects with Johnny, a young tama with a sign, invited onstage, Talbot’s emotion is pure. The onstage counter is counting down, 5 minutes turkish, and as Rottweiler, is introduced as an anti-fascist waiata for anti-fascist folk, he shares that we have been the perfect audience.
Simon Coffey
Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Den:
IDLES:
Shepherds Reign:
IDLES Setlist
IDEA 01
Colossus
Gift Horse
Mr. Motivator
Mother- Car Crash
- I’m Scum
- Roy
- 1049 Gotho
- Jungle
The Wheel - When the Lights Come On
- Divide and Conquer
Gratitude
Benzocaine
POP POP POP - Samaritans
Crawl
The Beachland Ballroom
Never Fight a Man With a Perm
Dancer
Danny Nedelko
Rottweiler
- Shepherds Reign Setlist
Ala Mai - Nafanua
- Aiga
- Samoa Mo Samoa
- Le Manu
- Ua Masa’a
