Photo credit: Paul Hudson
IDLES have announced dates for their upcoming UK & Ireland tour, and with it, free tickets for key workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bristol group, who insist they are “not a f**king punk band”, announced the tour over social media, featuring eleven shows including two nights each in the Glasgow Barrowlands, Vicar Street, Dublin, and the O2 Academy Brixton.
Alongside Live Nation, they are offering the tickets on a first come, first served basis from today until Wednesday to workers in any of the eight sectors set-out by the UK Government, “Health and social care, education and childcare, key public services, local and national government, food and other necessary goods, public safety and national security, transport, and utilities, communication and financial services”.
IDLES join a litany of musicians who have touted support for workers in the healthcare sector and beyond during the pandemic. Previously, Irish act Fontaines D.C. followed a similar trend releasing tickets for their UK tour to NHS staff and key workers, while acts like Liam Gallagher & Primal Scream, Fatboy Slim, and even Rick Astley offered free shows to health workers in April in response to the spread of the virus.
Tickets go onsale to the general public on Friday 28th August. Their third album, ‘Ultra Mono’ drops 25th September.