Primal Scream - Solus, Cardiff University - 20th June 2011 (Live Review)
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Written by Dave Ball
There has never been much doubting the importance of ‘Screamadelica’ in the British music scene. After all, it won the first ever Mercury Music Award, is widely regarded as one of the greatest British albums of all time, it’s art work is so iconic it was one of 10 album covers selected for a run of commemorative stamps in 2010 and the majority of people reading this probably own a copy. Twenty years on, Primal Scream have joined in the new phenomenon of touring your best album.
This, the second of two festival warm up shows was originally scheduled for Cardiff Student Union’s great hall before being moved to the smaller Solus upstairs. Worryingly, on arrival around an hour prior to the headline slot there are about 70 people in the 900 capacity venue, mostly milling around the edges. Do people not care anymore I wonder?
A few minutes later, Nottinghamshire support act Little Barrie step on stage looking like they’ve walked straight off set with The Doors. Retro clothes and beautiful retro Fender amp stacks they certainly look the part and when the threesome start playing the music fits the scene they look as though they’ve stepped out of. 60’s style bluesy rock'n'roll, Led Zeppelin influences drip from their songs and the drummer gives his kit a beating that would make John Bonham smile inside. All three are excellent musicians, particularly singer and guitarist Barrie Cadogan who we see more of a little later.
By the time the stage is set up for Primal Scream my concerns have subsided, the room is packed with 30 something’s ready to be transported back to their early 90’s party days. A stack of amps with Mani’s name sketched onto the front stand ominously to the right of the stage and the unveiling of the 'Screamadelica' logo on the bass drum further heightens the anticipation in the room.
Bang on time, the band walk out with Bobby Gillespie floppy haired and all in black looking barely a day older than he did on Screamadelica’s release in 1991. Now, the set-list was never likely to be much of a surprise, this being an album tour however they do mix things up. No change to the opening though, a top class rendition of ‘Movin On Up’ is greeted by an almighty roar.
Followed with barely a pause by ‘Slip Inside This House’ and then a true senses onslaught with ‘Don’t Fight It Feel It’ punctuated with ear damaging volume and blasting strobe lights. Mary Pierce takes the vocals while Gillespie shimmers around the stage shaking maracas, looking every part Mick Jagger in his heyday. Barrie Cadogan is back with the band as he was in 2006, taking the lead guitar and putting on a virtuoso performance throughout the show making full use of his effects pedal and providing a spiky, jagged edginess to the live performance.
As the album itself did, the set almost mirrors the trippy feeling of experiencing the drug scene the album sound-tracked. After the rising high of the first three tracks there’s a mellowing, trippy haze to the next four while the impressive light show on the large backdrop has the room swaying as one while blasts of smoke puff from the sides of the stage. You can almost feel yourself slumped back in a sofa at student digs, the sweet smell of something you probably shouldn’t be smoking hanging in the air.
‘Inner Flight’ see’s Andrew Innes (guitar), Darrin Mooney (drums) and the seemingly invincible Mani on bass playing through the instrumental, Mani showing that while he may have punished his body over the years the guy is still one of the best around on bass.
‘Higher Than The Sun’ follows, dedicated by Gillespie to Creation Records’ Alan McGee and this is the track more than any other which benefits from being seen live as the musicianship of each band member shines through, Mani’s bass solo particularly strong.
Closing out the main set a raucous version of ‘Loaded’, Mooney and Mani’s bass lines feeling like they’re being played from inside your ribcage they boom through so powerfully while ‘Come Together’ ends the 'Screamadelica' set. Gillespie finishing, stood as he has throughout the night on a monitor while the crowd repeat the refrain "Come together as one" while the rest of the band trudge off for a well earned break.
The encore follows shortly after with pretty much the last thing you hear from Gillespie "Do you wanna hear some rock n roll?" before he and Pierce’s vocals are drowned out by the deafening volumes of ‘Country Girl’, ‘Jailbird’ and final track ‘Rocks’.
I have to admit, I always quite liked Primal Scream but never felt I really got what the fuss was about with the albums. Seeing them live is a completely different experience to listening to their recorded work and I urge anyone at the many festivals they play this summer to make time for them.
Primal Scream played:
Movin On Up
Slip Inside This House
Don’t Fight It, Feel It
Damaged
I’m Comin’ Down
Shine Like Stars
Inner Flight
Higher Than The Sun
Loaded
Come Together
Encore:
Country Girl
Jailbird
Rocks
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This, the second of two festival warm up shows was originally scheduled for Cardiff Student Union’s great hall before being moved to the smaller Solus upstairs. Worryingly, on arrival around an hour prior to the headline slot there are about 70 people in the 900 capacity venue, mostly milling around the edges. Do people not care anymore I wonder?
