IDLES 2019 world tour
Tour announcement: IDLES
Tour dates: March to May 2019
More info: Band website
Including first ever Australian dates and two headline shows at The Electric Ballroom, London
After a wrapping up sell-out UK and US tours, IDLES have confirmed a 2019 world tour, headlining their biggest venues yet. The run will include two London headliners at The Electric Ballroom and their first ever run of dates in Australia. Tickets go on public sale this Friday Nov 9th at 10am local time, with tickets available at here.
IDLES’ new record 'Joy As An Act Of Resistance' debuted at no.5 in the UK charts, breaking Rough Trade’s all-time record for most pre-orders and sales in a day. It is currently the no.1 best reviewed record of 2018 (average rating of 88 across 25 reviews) at Album Of The Year and in the Top 10 on Metacritic. The band saw not only singles but the album itself A-listed at 6 Music and earned major features, amongst others, with the likes of Q, Mojo, The Guardian and covers with DIY, Loud & Quiet, So Young and NME. They’ve arrived internationally too with only last week NPR Music declaring “I am an IDLES addict. It's like mainlining an uplifting and unifying assault on nationalism, racism, intolerance, and class inequality.”
The band won Best Breakthrough at the Q Awards last month following their Jools Holland debut which NME called “history in the making…incomparably brilliant,” likening it to Arctic Monkeys and Kanye West's first appearances on the show. Watch here. La Blogothèque also just filmed the band performing a couple ‘Joy’ standouts, watch them do stripped down versions of ‘I’m Scum’ and ‘Gram Rock’.
More key tracks:
Selected praise for IDLES
“No hyperbole needed; IDLES are the most important band we have right now." - DIY Magazine (cover story)
“Everything about Joy As An Act Of Resistance is just so perfectly realised. An instant classic, one that people will turn to in times of need for years to come.”
10/10 - NME
“This album is a heart-breaking but jubilant exploration of joy, honesty, fragility and expression as our most powerful means of human resistance.”
9/10 - Classic Rock
“IDLES have released the most relevant and at times gut wrenching album of the year.” - Drowned In Sound
“IDLES make sense of modern chaos on the utterly essential Joy as an Act of Resistance.” - The Line Of Best Fit
“Idles take their rightful place as not Britain’s, nor Europe’s, but the world’s most vital band. It’s a fist-clenched celebration of the full spectrum of phenomena - inexplicable, crushing and totally joyous - that divides and unites us all.” - The Quietus
“IDLES deliver a thunderous and sharp state-of-the-nation address.” - The 405
“Across its 40-odd minutes, Joy As An Act of Resistance makes you want to laugh and cry and roar into the wind and cradle your nearest and dearest. It is a beautiful slice of humanity delivered by a group of men whose vulnerability and heart has become a guiding light in the fog for an increasing community of fans who don’t just want, but need this.”
5/5 - DIY
“The power of ‘Joy As An Act Of Resistance.’ is how it shows society itself in a mirror. Sometimes it’s a bathroom mirror in the morning too bright and over exposed, another time it’s a makeup mirror in a car you struggle just to catch a glimpse of yourself and other times it’s a fairground mirror and everything is distorted and grotesque. But each time you have look yourself in the eye and take stock for your actions.
This is a band to get excited about. Very, VERY, excited about!”
9/10 - Clash
“This album announces IDLES as one of the most exhilarating and necessary punk bands of right now.” - Kerrang!
“…this isn’t good-time, aspirational, radio-friendly pop. But for anyone in need of music that articulates their concerns or helps them to work through their troubles--or anyone who simply appreciates blistering, intelligent punk - they might just be Britain’s most necessary band.” - The Guardian
“Over a visceral torrent of motorik punk-pop pummels recalling prime Pixies or mclusky, Joe hails his “beautiful immigrant” blood brother “Danny Nedelko” and celebrates his “mongrel” upbringing on “I’m Scum” - in a world run by bullish right-wing sex pests, his aggressive compassion is a potent antidote.” - The Independent
“This feels indispensable, as both bereavement therapy and Brexit-era protest.” - Q
“Britain’s most cult-worthy band have a raging vitality.” - GQ
“Joy as An Act of Resistance is a record that bristles with the political and emotional energy of punk’s very best.”
9/10 - CRACK
“One of the most vital albums of 2018.”
5/5 - Dork
“‘Joy…’ is a self-confessed parade. It’s a punch-up and it’s a bear hug.” - Loud & Quiet
“Their follow-up sees them crank everything up to the next level. No band is better equipped to document the here and now, warts and all.” - Mojo
“This must surely win the award for most intense album of the year. An exorcism of sadness and rage, with a burning commitment to honesty of expression throughout.” - The Times
“Bristolian punk – brutally loud, brutally honest.” - Uncut
"IDLES is the best 21st century punk-ish band I've heard.” - NPR Music (Bob Boilen)
“Visceral, joyous, and honest — lightning rods for collective rage, forged from love.” - Noisey