His declaration, “Rhythm is my protection, dance with me tonight”, felt less like a lyric and more like a musical mantra, urging the people of Bristol to shake off the weight of the week. As Idehen’s beats pulsed, he spoke of “shimmying off bad vibes”, which, from above, looked like a communal exorcism. His accusation, “we can’t agree on anything else except that we are living in hard times”, grounded the set into a shared reality. His delivery was both vulnerable and defiant, reminding the audience that rhythm can be resistance as much as release.
Yet it wasn’t just the rhythm that carried the night - it was his spoken word delivered with the cadence of a preacher and the intimacy of a confidant. His verses blurred the line between poetry and performance, an intersection of social commentary and comedy. A reminder to fans that his art is as much about collective healing of the mundane as it is about celebrating humankind.
‘Mum Does The Washing’’s playful domestic imagery was met with cheers and laughter, proof that Idehen’s poetry can be both profound and joyously relatable. The track itself has gone viral this year, circulating online for its sharp satire and infectious, humorous energy. What began as a tongue-in-cheek commentary has become one of his most celebrated works, cementing his reputation as a voice that can turn everyday moments into a cultural examination of our time.
Where Idehen offered catharsis, Baxter Dury brought confrontation of everyday life. Right on 9 pm, Dury strode onto the stage to ‘Alpha Dog’. He snarled into the mic, “Bristol f*ck off, Bristol touch me”. It was abrasive yet strangely affectionate; a push-and-pull dynamic of alternative magic that only Dury can pull off.
The setlist weaved in and out of his catalogue, with each track eliciting a different shade of audience reaction. ‘Hasburg’ arrived amidst flashing red lights, the atmosphere turning feverish as the crowd bathed in intensity. When ‘Police’ kicked in, the audience was already in rhythm, pulsing with the pounding beat. ‘Oi’ stood as my most electrifying moment, with Dury pacing aggressively across the stage while the crowd shouted back to him; a perfect collision of rant, rhythm, and release. “Bristol, let’s go” punctuated throughout the set with bursts of urgency whilst he swaggered from left to right in sardonic strides. It was easy to see, even from the limited views available from the crowd, that Dury thrives on tension. The O2 Academy leaned into it and left loving him even more for it.
His recent UK live shows for the new album ‘Allbarone’ have been met with distinct praise and appreciation, and rightly so. That energy carried through here, with the crowd responding enthusiastically to fresh cuts like ‘Allbarone’ and ‘Schqdenfreude’. Having already stormed Nottingham’s Rock City and Manchester’s Albert Hall, this Bristol date felt like another step towards the 'Allbarone' Tour’s crescendo; an evening at Eventim Apollo, London.
His stage presence was as distinctive as his sound; succinct, swaggering, and charged with menace and wit. He doesn’t just perform his songs; he inhabits them, pacing with sardonic strides that mirror the sharp edges of his lyricism. It’s a performance style that makes his catalogue feel less like a divised setlist and more like a lived-in narrative, each song delivered with the same confrontational charisma that defines him as a performer.
