Idles, a band known for their political stance and activism, used their album launch show for their new release, ‘Tangk’ to show support and solidarity with the people of Palestine. The special out-store event hosted by Rough Trade had the band perform nine new songs from the album alongside familiar fan favourites.
Frontman Joe Talbot made poignant statements throughout the night regarding Gaza and voiced his support for the people suffering as a result of the war with Israel. Before singing ‘Mother,’ Talbot dedicated the song to his mother’s social conscience and stated if she was alive today, she would also have supported the cause.
Talbot even altered the lyrics to ‘The Wheel,’ singing “Can I get a hallelujah? Viva Palestina!” The song ‘Danny Nedelko’ was dedicated to the people of Gaza with Talbot singing, “My blood brother’s Palestinian, my best friend is a citizen, he’s strong, he’s earnest, he’s innocent.”
At present, the death toll of Palestinians in Gaza stands at 28,775, with around 1,410 Israelis killed in the October 7 attacks. Thousands are gathering at Pro-Palestinian rallies in London. These statements from Talbot follow criticism targeted towards the band last year from Bob Vylan for their silence on the issue.
In a recent interview, Talbot explained the band’s message, “All is love, love is the thing” and the importance of human connection. The album launch and the band’s performance serve as a reminder of the power of music and how it can lend support and voice to those in need of solidarity
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