Idlewild W/ Sparrow And The Workshop - 53 Degrees, Preston
With a categorical lack of marketing and radio airplay accompanying last year's self-released album, Post Electric Blues, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Idlewild had split up some time ago. Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth, and the band return to the live circuit with their melodic rock sound tonight on one of several mini tours in belated promotion of this new record.
Before they commence, Glasgow based folk-rockers Sparrow and the Workshop make a quiet entry on stage for their support slot on what is, surprisingly, their fourth appearance in the city to date.
Jill O'Sullivan's American drawl is delicately captivating from the opening notes of 'Into The Wild' (the title track from their current E.P.) until the end of their unexpectedly loud performance. During 'Swam Like Sharks' she apologetically stops for a few minutes due to a guitar glitch. To her credit, she charmingly manages to keep the crowd entertained (assisted by her drummer, Gregor Donaldson), which is done largely by means of some knowingly poor quality jokes. Their brief set is one of quality over quantity, with the charging drums of former single 'Devil Song' standing out in particular.
Idlewild are welcomed onto the stage like long lost friends. They coyly settle into their positions and burst into 'Younger Than America'; the opener to Post Electric Blues. From here they jump straight into 'You Held The World In Your Arms Tonight' and follow it with 'Roseability', at which point an inevitable mosh pit forms.
They proceed to run through an often ferocious set equal to performances of yesteryear, with the only noticeable difference in the band nowadays being the stage presence of their lead singer, Roddy Woomble. He has understandably become more laid back as the band have matured, but his vocal delivery still has the desired effect, although he does refrain from yelping as much as he did in his earlier days.
By contrast, the rest of the band continue to play in their original spirit, with Woomble loitering at the side of the stage when not required; retiring from the limelight as much as he can as a front man. The crowd naturally focus on him when he sings, and this selfless act is seemingly an attempt to serve the rest of Idlewild with his surplus, but nevertheless deserved attention.
With a seemingly endless list of hits and strongly favoured album tracks, there will always be divided opinion on highlights from their gigs. Objectively, however, the infectious riff of 'Too Long Awake'; the frantic energy of 'In Competition For The Worst Time'; and the calmingly reflective set closer 'Not Just Sometimes But Always' all stood out during tonight's consistently arresting display of talent.
The encore bursts into life with 'A Modern Way Of Letting Go', after which Woomble (perhaps unwisely) decides to accept requests from the now exhilarated crowd. Somehow he manages to decipher several tracks from the bombardment of titles being yelled at him, all of which happen to be tracks from the Idlewild vaults.
'Paint Nothing' keeps a couple of undesirable characters at the front happy (after slurring their request intermittently since they originally graced the stage), but its matured delivery now diminishes the angst ridden spark it has on its original recording. Their earlier track 'Satan Polaroid', however, is better in this respect, with its upbeat nature creating little strain on Woomble's vocal chords.
They part company with 'In Remote Part', regrettably without the 'Scottish Fiction' outro which has accompanied it in the past, but this is a minor complaint about a performance which was a prominent reminder that Idlewild are by no means finished yet.
Before they commence, Glasgow based folk-rockers Sparrow and the Workshop make a quiet entry on stage for their support slot on what is, surprisingly, their fourth appearance in the city to date.
Jill O'Sullivan's American drawl is delicately captivating from the opening notes of 'Into The Wild' (the title track from their current E.P.) until the end of their unexpectedly loud performance. During 'Swam Like Sharks' she apologetically stops for a few minutes due to a guitar glitch. To her credit, she charmingly manages to keep the crowd entertained (assisted by her drummer, Gregor Donaldson), which is done largely by means of some knowingly poor quality jokes. Their brief set is one of quality over quantity, with the charging drums of former single 'Devil Song' standing out in particular.
Idlewild are welcomed onto the stage like long lost friends. They coyly settle into their positions and burst into 'Younger Than America'; the opener to Post Electric Blues. From here they jump straight into 'You Held The World In Your Arms Tonight' and follow it with 'Roseability', at which point an inevitable mosh pit forms.
They proceed to run through an often ferocious set equal to performances of yesteryear, with the only noticeable difference in the band nowadays being the stage presence of their lead singer, Roddy Woomble. He has understandably become more laid back as the band have matured, but his vocal delivery still has the desired effect, although he does refrain from yelping as much as he did in his earlier days.
By contrast, the rest of the band continue to play in their original spirit, with Woomble loitering at the side of the stage when not required; retiring from the limelight as much as he can as a front man. The crowd naturally focus on him when he sings, and this selfless act is seemingly an attempt to serve the rest of Idlewild with his surplus, but nevertheless deserved attention.
With a seemingly endless list of hits and strongly favoured album tracks, there will always be divided opinion on highlights from their gigs. Objectively, however, the infectious riff of 'Too Long Awake'; the frantic energy of 'In Competition For The Worst Time'; and the calmingly reflective set closer 'Not Just Sometimes But Always' all stood out during tonight's consistently arresting display of talent.
The encore bursts into life with 'A Modern Way Of Letting Go', after which Woomble (perhaps unwisely) decides to accept requests from the now exhilarated crowd. Somehow he manages to decipher several tracks from the bombardment of titles being yelled at him, all of which happen to be tracks from the Idlewild vaults.
'Paint Nothing' keeps a couple of undesirable characters at the front happy (after slurring their request intermittently since they originally graced the stage), but its matured delivery now diminishes the angst ridden spark it has on its original recording. Their earlier track 'Satan Polaroid', however, is better in this respect, with its upbeat nature creating little strain on Woomble's vocal chords.
They part company with 'In Remote Part', regrettably without the 'Scottish Fiction' outro which has accompanied it in the past, but this is a minor complaint about a performance which was a prominent reminder that Idlewild are by no means finished yet.
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