The 2-day festival was organised by the esteemed Bristol punk rock band IDLES, featuring an array of celebrated high-energy bands.
IDLES on the opening night of their festival: Image by Isaac Stubbings
Located in Bristol’s city centre at Queens Square, IDLES Block Party festival saw an approximate 15,000 fans gather to watch a lineup of exciting performances. The festival took place on the 1st and 2nd of August, with IDLES headlining both nights, raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians. It featured one main stage, two large bars and a spread of local food vendors, including the popular GiGi’s Pizza and the award-winning Loki Poke.
On Friday, the park was packed out for the opening band, Lambrini Girls. The alternative-rock band’s unapologetic set was filled with liberating messages, harnessing the power of anger to create meaningful music and spark social change.
Following their set was the punk-rock duo Soft Play, who played a raw, diverse set. The band jumped from their intense drums and guitar riffs to a sentimental loot track, dedicated to their late friend. The crowd were eager to jump into their set, expanding mosh pits to huge sizes and causing a ripple effect to be felt at the edges of the crowd.
Lambrini Girls at IDLES Block Party: Image by Isaac Stubbings
Closing out the Friday, IDLES’ first set of the weekend saw devoted fans brimming with excitement, as they opened with the suspenseful, tempo-building track ‘Colossus’. Almost immediately, the crowd completely let loose to Bristol legends’ music. One thing about an IDLES crowd is that no matter how harsh the moshing gets, they always look after each other, picking one another back up and ensuring everyone is okay at each interval- a real sense of community.
Saturday’s lineup featured another masterful mix of bands, including Grove, Scaler, Hinds and The Voids.
South Bristol Voice spoke with the renowned indie-rock icon Julian Casablancas of the Voids (also known as The Strokes frontman), who shared his adoration of the headliners. “I think IDLES are great, what they’re doing is great. I think they have to be my favourite Bristol band for a mile. It’s an honour to play at their festival. We’ve been rehearsing in Bristol all week- we love the city!”.
IDLES performed a show-stopping second and final set. During their performance of their early track ‘Exeter’, friends were invited to join the party on stage. The band also played one of their popular songs, ‘Danny Nedelko’ celebrating multiculturalism. The song’s namesake, frontman of Heavy Lungs, was invited on stage to sing along as the crowd erupted in praise.
Inside the Mosh Pit at IDLES Block Party: Image by Isaac Stubbings
IDLES Block Party: Image by Isaac Stubbings
Attendees praised the weekend, with one avid IDLES fan saying, “Even after seeing IDLES so many times, it never gets old. It was great to see them in their hometown, sharing stories from when they first started out”.
“I was impressed by how they utilised the small park. Despite a great turnout, it didn’t feel too over-crowded”, said one fan.
Another attendee said, “It was strange to see Queens Square come alive with that much energy. There was a real infectious sense of community and drive. I thought they created a real unity through music and message”.
Review of event by Holly Farmer
Friday night at IDLES Block Party: Image by Isaac Stubbings
Soft Play at IDLES Block Party: Image by Isaac Stubbings