After a build up of a soundtrack containing some of the best British music from the last 40 years geeing up the crowd, it’s an unassuming and rather casual primal scream that takes to the stage for their first date of their highly anticipated Australian Tour. And it’s that ‘languidity’ that is of course a large part of the band’s endearing charm.
The band might have not played together since September and only started rehearsing for the tour a few weeks ago, but when the first note strikes they mean business. Bobby Gillespie may be a man of few words on stage (all the more remarkable when he’s so talkative in interviews) but he really does have the presence that you don’t really get in rock stars these days.
‘Welcome back’ someone shouts from the crowd before a note is struck and you catch a glimmer of recognition before the searing guitar and huge groove of ‘Slip Inside’ opens up proceedings. from the stage there’s a very welcome amount of guitar in the monitors which is lost a little at the back of the room when I venture there for refreshment later on. It’s a great reminder how some of these songs were constructed – as well as the dance, trance and soul, there’s always the rock and that’s a huge part of the bands appeal – who needs boundaries?
Classic tracks ‘Jailbird’ and ‘dolls’ get things cooking and the crowd dancing. It may be rare you see so many guys dancing at a gig these days but that’s the norm here and it’s great to see. it’s the searing guitar that kicks off ‘Can’t Go Back’ though that cuts through the room like a butter knife as the huge mile high groove builds and everyone starts smiling. I always thought there was a dab of the Pistols and New Order in that one and at least one person nods as I shout that to them over the fine noise.
The stage is minimally lit as you might expect at a Primal Scream show and guitar and bass flank Bobby front and centre whilst the drums and keyboards are largely obscured we get a bit more light for ‘Walking with the Beast’ but any more theatrics you feel would take away from an experience like this. The song itself is a great soulful country blues Stonesy love song that sits uncomfortably against the forceful sneer of ‘XTRMNTR’ and that’s the point, the Soul and the Rock, the rough and the smooth, all coming together as one.
Coming down-under this was always going to be a hits set, or as Bobby told us a few weeks ago a ‘high energy’ set and he’s not wrong “Are you having a good time out there, it’s hard to tell?” he asks as the band hit their straps with ‘Trippin’ on your Love’ and it’s dancey groove.
The more mellow breezy rhythms of ‘Star’ follow and we finally see a projection on the substantial back-screen as the song starts to wind down – with shimmering stars breaking out like flowering fireworks in the dark room. ‘Damaged’ up next is similarly down-tempo but lifting as it grows and it receives the first sing along of the night.
There’s lot’s of Scottish fans in in tonight and they are leading the party, one guy right at the back of the room and in full groove manages to dance all the way to the front for that one, it’s a sight to behold as the crowd just let him dance on through. As if on cue bobby asks for hands, and hands are raised.
The business end of the show really starts with ‘100% or Nothing’ a stomp that kicks into life with a real sixties soul meets girl band vibe and Bobby pleading “So high can’t get over it, so wide can’t get round it” as a first refrain before the chanted simplicity and directness of the chorus. It’s magical and the crowd love the energy.
‘Swastika’ starts with a siren and the fast beat kicks in with an electric and punked-out disco stomp before tub-thumping percussion steams in. It’s the combination that creates the perfect storm – a mash of styles that makes Primal Scream so appealing, it’s also heavy on the maracas and a sports a sneered lyric that is inescapable. The crowd is dancing away, loving it and it receives the biggest ovation yet, which ironically comes in the lull before the song kicks back into life.
“Just what is it that you want?” the taped intro asks and everyone instantly knows – ‘Loaded’ is one of those songs that helped define a generation, the song that started it for me “Make some noise let me hear you” Bobby tells the crowd “Louder you motherfuckers!” It’s a great rendition – with some nice heavier keys and has to be one of the very best good time dance songs. The ‘Deep down’ section even gets the non-dancers dancing with varying results! Then the guitar lets rip and the very economical use of back screen starts again with coloured vertical lines for just a few choice seconds. Wild appreciation ensues.
‘Country Girl’ the ‘Stonsiest’ song of the night keeps that party going with some Keef-like guitar and Jaggery wails before an extended breakdown with just drums and the clapping crowd chanting. Bobby tells them to take a break to allow the mellow section of the song to breath before the final burst of country boy fury.
We’re straight into ‘Rocks’ with no break and keys again feature high in mix. It ends the set proper with a bang – what can I say, it was well worth waiting for, still evergreen and elemental after all these years. It’s also gloriously sloppier and looser than expected and all the better for it.
The encore which was just meant to be ‘Moving on Up’ adds ‘Come Together’ with hands aloft and swirling colours and blue and pink flowers on the little used screen. There’s a huge extended intro and a powerful beat “Let me see you hands” Bobby implores and we’re together as one for the refrain. It’s like the soundtrack to a Festival of love.
the final word of course is ‘Moving on up’ with it’s piped female backing vocals. It’s glorious and what a way to end the party. Adelaide and East Coast lookout Primal Scream are on the way and they’re kicking your ass…
Sheer class and every single one of us went home happy.
