Idlewild - Live In Manchester
[Manchester Academy]

Greatest hits and live albums are infuriating, as they invariably signal that the creative well is dryer than Jack Dee’s wit and some bands milk it so much that it turns sour. However, on the occasions when it is actually worthwhile and would be for all intents and purposes and audio autobiography; it just does not happen. The Roddy Woomble front quintet Idlewild demonstrated with broadness and precision why a live or best of offering from them, is now essential. The upbeat, poetic and pop friendly opener ‘Love Steals Us From Loneliness’ taken from their latest album and the first one written as a group; ‘Warnings/Promises’, this was juxtaposed with their punk skirting side, displayed through old favourite ‘Little Discourage’.

The many moods of Roddy, his four colleagues as well as a lively, nostalgic and loyal audience were visited without the tempo dropping. Idlewild have had a topsy-turvy time of things over the past three years, but tonight they felt free and the rasping blues rock jam that provided the crescendo to ‘The Space Between All Things’, showed that the Edinburgh born band, is indeed a sum of its parts and not a one man show. The timeless nature of their music was illuminated in one of the set highlights extracted from second album; ‘100 Broken Windows’ and is maybe their signature tune; ‘Bronze Medal’. Tonight, this number took on extra significance with the Manchester United fans trying to fight the rhythm and looked a little uncomfortable, when the lyrics were fired out with heartfelt precision from Roddy;

“Nothing but your eyes looking down on the third place.
You've got nothing but determination to come in third.”

Please raise your glasses for Idlewild their timeless music and spirit.