“Today on this program you will hear gospel, and rhythm and blues, and jazz. All those are just labels. We know that music is music […] our experience determines the texture, the tastes and the sounds of our soul.”
– Jesse Jackson, 1972
Throughout the expanses of music, many seek to progress the sounds of their sonic ancestors, while a select few are driven by an ambition to transcend tradition and blur the lines of musical ontology. Since their inception in the early eighties, Scotland’s rock and soul revisionists, Primal Scream, have remained hyper-fixated on reimagining the landscape of popular sound—persistently coalescing genre styles while remaining unmistakably themselves. It is this ardent pursuit of uniqueness that has seen the group inspire generations and retain unwavering support on the live stage. Now, thirty-seven years since their debut release, the Glasgow-based group has returned to some of the UK’s greatest venues, ready to embark on their latest creative chapter: Come Ahead.
Meandering through the sunny streets surrounding Bristol’s iconic Beacon concert hall, two things were noticeable: (a) the palpable energy that exuded from every bar’s open doors, and (b) the collective presence of Screamadelica iconography, seemingly adorned by the vast majority of the evening’s audience—a semiotic nod to the band’s earliest manifest form. Entering the Beacon, a varied blend of longtime devotees and youthful supporters rippled with anticipation. Thirty minutes later, the first of three bands entered the fray: Mozart Estate.
As the anticipatory conversations began to fade, four individuals sauntered onto the stage and soon burst into the band’s opening track, “Lawrence Takes Over.” Dressed in a gold bomber jacket, former Felt and Denim frontman Lawrence made his way on stage to, indeed, take over. As the set progressed through the band’s catalogue, the venue steadily filled, readying itself for the main event. Although only a thirty-minute set, there was a discernible value consensus among early arrivals that Mozart Estate had successfully set the tone—building an atmosphere fit for the “full-on rock and soul show” that Bobby Gillespie promised in a radio interview last year.
Oscillating murmurs resumed, bouncing around the auditorium, brimming with energy in anticipation of the second support act. Much in the same fashion, the lights dimmed shortly after eight, and two individuals took the stage, turning to face the now-capacity South West crowd. Backdropped by moody mustard lighting and the slow guitar hum of his single Cocaine Man, Baxter Dury—son of new wave icon Ian Dury—swaggered forward, ready to perform one of his distinctive spoken-word sets.
From start to finish, Dury danced with the audience, repeatedly reciprocating the crowd’s chants with his eccentric cries. Closing in on the final moments of his set, he announced that those standing and sitting before him were all his friends—introducing his final track, “Baxter (These Are My Friends).” As the Fred Again.. feature track echoed through the Beacon’s sound system, it was clear that Dury had achieved his goal: perfectly preparing the 1,800 spectators for the evening’s headliners.
With the clocks striking nine and the crowd in place, there was no more waiting. The final eager whispers died out as the stage lit up with a deep red hue—symbolic of the band’s most famous work, Screamadelica. Moments later, a uniform roar filled the stalls as Primal Scream made their way toward their instruments, ready to deliver a night of sonic liberation. True to the red glow’s promise, the five-piece—joined by two members of the House Gospel Choir and saxophonist Alex White—launched into their set with “Don’t Fight It, Feel It.”
The influence of the night’s support acts was clear, as the crowd swayed in euphoria to Primal Scream’s psychedelic soundscapes. Infectious and hypnotic, the opening notes began to morph seamlessly into the lead single from their latest album, Come Ahead, as the electric overtones of “Love Insurrection” seeped through the Screamadelica bassline. For many, this was their first live encounter with the group’s recent material. The signature fusion of rock and electronic tonality was met with immediate approval.
As the song drew to a close, South West spectators seized the opportunity to audibly show their appreciation, filling the room with applause and hearty cheers. Without pause, the band returned the gesture with a Primal Scream classic: “Jailbird.” The drum beat looped for several bars as Bobby Gillespie, ever the entertainer, raised his hands to signal the crowd to clap in unison. Satisfied with their response, longtime member Andrew Innes burst into the anthemic guitar riff, capturing the senses of every attendee.
A major element of Primal Scream’s genius—and the key to their near-forty-year longevity—is their ability to shift between energetic rock anthems and evocative ballads. Following the power and ferocity of the opening songs, Gillespie announced it was time to explore the group’s catalogue of ballads, offering the crowd a much-needed moment to breathe. With that, “Deep Dark Waters,” another Come Ahead single, opened with a slow crescendo. Soulful rhythms surged through the speakers as short protest films—created by Jim Lambie and Douglas Hart—played in the background, challenging the far-right and its amoral agenda.
In recent interviews, Primal Scream members described their latest record as both instrumentally and lyrically moving, underpinned by strong worldviews. As a selection of bluesy ballads followed, this emotion was transferred to the audience, who became transfixed—hanging onto every word and note. Infused with Primal Scream’s signature sound, “Medication,” “Innocent Money,” and “Heal Yourself” were delivered with conviction, leaving Bristol spectators emotionally spellbound.
This emotional apex gave way to a brief detour into the group’s second, self-titled 1989 album as Gillespie asked, “Who wants to go back to our earlier days?” Unsurprisingly, a sea of raised arms and voices followed, prompting Innes to launch into “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have.” Early elements of the group’s unique sound echoed through the venue, sparking nostalgic smiles among their longest-serving fans.
As the final chimes of “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have” rang out, the band, almost in recognition of the emotional weight of the moment, offered “Love Ain’t Enough”—a soothing remedy to reinstate the rock-and-soul atmosphere. But in true Primal Scream fashion, the setlist couldn’t be confined to one mood. The next track, “The Centre Cannot Hold,” brought a politically charged energy back into the room.
Then came a moment the crowd had anticipated: the opening line of “Loaded,” delivered by a sample of American actor Frank Maxwell—“Just what is it that you want to do?” The crowd erupted. Balconies stood. Gillespie paused to take in the moment before joining the crowd in a collective dance frenzy. The Wild Angels sample continued—“Well, we wanna be free, to do what we wanna do”—giving Innes the perfect moment to improvise a blues guitar riff that shook every wall of the Beacon.
Remaining in the band’s early discography, the crowd celebrated next with “Swastika Eyes” and then the inevitable “Movin’ On Up.” The latter—Screamadelica’s spiritual opener—arrived with gospel-infused psychedelia at a moment when emotions had already peaked. Its jangling instrumental echoed throughout the hall as fans matched the vocal fervour that Gillespie has brought to the track for over three decades. What once represented youthful optimism now carried the weight of legacy and communal adoration.
Now deep into an eighteen-song set, there was time for one final offering: “Country Girl.” Drawing from their 2006 LP Riot City Blues, Innes surged into its rhythmic guitar lines as the crowd moved in unison. Gillespie, however, had other ideas. Drawing the show to an abrupt and seemingly premature end, he addressed the crowd with a grin: “I want to teach you an old Glaswegian idiom—‘Here we. Here we. Here we f****** go!’” The crowd caught on instantly, raising their voices in a collective crescendo before joining Primal Scream in one final, untamed celebration. As the last chorus ended, the band exited to reluctant cheers—the audience still hungry for more.
With the lights dimmed and the red hue returning, chants rose from the lower balcony: “TWENTY MORE SONGS! TWENTY MORE SONGS!” Though playful, they had a point—only fifteen songs had been played, yet the band’s rich discography could easily justify such a request. When the band re-emerged, the encore felt not like an addition, but a necessity.
The first encore track, “Melancholy Man,” was a final balladic reflection—drawing the audience in with its contemplative lyricism. Then came another voice sample, this time Jesse Jackson’s speech from the 1972 Wattstax Music Festival: “This is a beautiful day. It is a new day.” The message was clear—Come Together was next. Built on themes of community and liberation, the Screamadelica anthem allowed the crowd to sing and sway in unison, creating the perfect penultimate moment.
Only one song remained: “Rocks.” As the opening beats of Primal Scream’s 1994 single rang out, anticipation surged. Rock-and-roll guitar riffs, blues piano, and gospel backing vocals exploded through the Beacon. Mooney hammered the bass drum. Gillespie rallied the crowd, and the band launched into one final feverish bout of dancing. Raw energy pulsed through the venue. It was the perfect end to a show that reaffirmed Primal Scream’s place among the greatest live acts in rock history.
As the band exited and the lights rose, the already-standing crowd remained in elongated applause—one final tribute to a group that had just delivered an unforgettable performance.
Spiralling down the Beacon’s staircases, the anticipatory conversations that had once filled the surrounding streets were now replaced with post-show elation. Fans relived the night’s highlights with wide-eyed excitement. For nearly forty years, Primal Scream have gifted audiences with that very sensation—and tonight, South West attendees were reminded exactly why they remain one of the greatest live bands in rock and roll.
Role - I am a passionate writer with an interest for reviewing concerts and music.
Available For - Gig reviews and artist interviews.
Qualification - Currently I am studying BSc in Politics and International Relations at the University of Bath.
First Concert - The first concert I ever attended was Coldplay at the Royal Albert Hall (2014). It was to promote the release of their ‘Ghost Stories’ album. I will never forget the call my dad gave me to say he had managed to get two tickets for the both of us. The whole experience was just pure joy. The relative intimacy (for Coldplay) of the Royal Albert Hall, will always make that night one of the best (if not the best) concerts I have ever attended.
Dream Concert - In all honesty this is too difficult to answer with just one concert. If I were to select a few artists that I would love to see, it would have to be: Hope Sandoval, feeble little horse, Greg Foat, Kurt Vile, Lucy Dacus (specifically playing ‘No Burden’ in its entirety), Jadu Heart and The Moldy Peaches.
There is also the difficulty of dream gigs that are not able to be done. These would be: Mahalia Jackson, Etta James, Ann Peebles, Karen Dalton, Leon Russell, Mojave 3, The Smiths, and George Harrison (“All Things Must Pass” just from start to finish).
Bio: Professional photographer since 2016, specialising in nightlife and live music photography. I’m passionate about supporting grassroots music venues, with notable experience at venues like Thekla, where I’ve had the privilege of capturing both bands and club nights for over 6 years.
Available for: Gigs & Headshots
First Gig Shot: All Saints at the O2 Academy Brixton, 2016
Dream Gig: Paul McCartney, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones
www.davidjeffery-hughesphotography.uk
Instagram: @david_jh_photography