13 January 2024 – Fortitude Music Hall, Brisbane – words and pictures by Bec Lee
The first thing I notice as I enter Brisbane’s Fortitude Music Hall is that it’s pretty quiet, and I reckon Monday has something to do with that. And a Monday so close to the Christmas break means Fortitude Valley as a whole is dead, with just a few people walking around and hanging out in the mall.
This isn’t great news for Scottish indie legends Primal Scream, who have recently played to an adoring crowd in Melbourne. I have certainly seen the venue much busier, but I welcome the chill atmosphere and the equally chill air con.
Melbourne indie art-punk six-piece Gut Health provide support, and they instantly remind me of early 90s UK indie with a dash of 80s angular guitar and synth. Lead singer Athina Uh Oh as star in the making, and a bit of research tells me that she’s the main lyricist – her words are witty and sharp. Her stage movements are a delight to watch (and shoot), and the bass driven grooves are a highlight. I thoroughly recommend catching this band live and having a listen to their stuff!
Gut Health – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Lee
Soon, Scotland’s best arrives on the stage like the legends they are, with Bobby Gillespie looking smart in a really cool white suit. Going back to the word ‘chill’, the Brisbane audience is rather sedate on this Monday eve, and I read that singer Gillespie had a little jab at the Sydney crowd for the same reasons, saying “They were much louder in Melbourne last night!”. He does seem a bit pissed off with us, and I know why.
We’ve fallen into that familiar hole of preferencing the ‘old stuff’, especially those gems from 1991’s Screamadelica, one of the most influential albums to come out of the 90s. But of course, they are going to be plugging their newest release, Come Ahead, their 12th studio album. You can’t please everybody, but maybe the Melbourne fans are more familiar with the new album?
And let’s not forget the material that followed Screamadelica, such as 1994’s Give Out But Don’t Give Up and 1997’s Vanishing Point. Brilliant albums.
Primal Scream – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Lee
Speaking of Vanishing Point, they open with ‘Swastika Eyes’, and after a bit of an a capella intro from Gillespie, that familiar driving bass line kicks in and the band sounds truly formidable. It’s great to be also up the front taking photos at this point – quite exhilarating.
We then get a long run of new material, starting with the super funky ‘Love Insurrection’, with 94’s ‘Jailbird’ thrown in the mix to add a bit of nostalgia and keep us happy. New tracks ‘Ready To Go Home’, ‘Deep Dark Waters’, ‘Medication’ all sound great live, with and the addition of two amazing backing singers helping to fill in the vocals. Those ladies really can sing.
Pre-Screamadelica track ‘I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have’ is delivered beautifully live, taking us back to 1989, a couple more tracks from the new album, and then BANG! A brilliant wave of nostalgia hits us right when we need it, the crowd perks up when the opening vocal of ‘Loaded’ begins, complete with vocal sample of “we wanna be free/to do what we wanna do!”. They just keep coming after this, with the upbeat and popular ‘Movin’ on Up’, then ‘Come Together’ and ‘Rocks’ (the latter slays, but not before a guitar mishap interrupts a first attempt) with are the classics included in the encore.
Primal Scream – Fortitude Music Hall – photos by Bec Lee
I’ve seen this band in 1994 and 2005 and even though I may have enjoyed those gigs more, I was young, probably high, and they were different times. Things I would not have appreciated then however, is the guitar prowess of Andrew Innes, on this occasion, standing so close to him watching him play was quite an experience. And even though I am a huge fan of (former bassist) Mani’s playing, current bassist Simone Butler is a demon on the bass, and cuts a beautiful shape whilst playing it, she’s a stunning looking woman and I’m jealous of her hair!
Primal Scream’s current line-up is a great live band, and the way they bring those classic tracks to life is a real treat for us. This really served to turn around the crowd and get them out of their post-Christmas slump.
As I sit here writing, I’m listening to Come Ahead in full, and I think you should too.
