IDLES IN QUEEN SQUARE

RENCHED in sweat and heart pounding, the moshpit finally calmed down for a moment as a huge gap formed in the crowd.

- ALEX SEABROOK

The gap grew as the crowd split in two, with both sides eyeing each other up waiting for the song to hit a crescendo before running straight into each other.

Jumping into shirtless strangers, arms flailing, trying to stay upright, I couldn't believe we were in the middle of Queen Square. A wall of death probably sounds a bit strange if you haven’t experienced one before, but the love and unity for people you've never met is very special.

That was the message Joe Talbot, Bristol’s adopted son, kept preaching on Friday, the first of two homecoming gigs for Idles, the city’s very own punk legends. The night was angry, but joyful and hopeful and made me feel pretty lucky to live in probably the best city in the world.

“Don’t believe it, the internet is a lie,’ the singer blared between songs at the start of the set, “there are good human beings everywhere, go out there and f*cking find them. We need to get together and show each other love and remind us what it is to be human beings”