Concert Review: Primal Scream, November 4, Danforth Music Hall

Photo by Sarah Rix

Photo by Sarah Rix

Playing an eerily similar set to what they played at Danforth Music Hall just over a year and a half ago, the Primal Scream show last Friday was short on surprises but to a liquored up Friday night middle aged crowd, that was just fine. Sometimes the best things in life are the comfortable things, like a sip of your favourite scotch or the pleasant feeling of getting that bi monthly paycheck. At the risk of going off the rails here are some comments. I’m not gonna bother introducing the band because you aren’t reading this thing to know what a band you haven’t heard about sounds like live anyway. If you disagree, I ask you to go read an episode recap of some TV show you don’t watch.

Movin On Up – I’m uncertain as to whether or not I like this as the first song of the set or as the first song of the encore. As a lead song it gets you into a great mood and everyone is into it, but as a downside you don’t get Bobby Gillespie yelling, “Are you ready to testify!” while everyone is already dancing before launching into the song.

Swastika Eyes – this song is a beast live. I mean it sounds nice live but to hear it with a full band in all its loud glory is a different experience all together. You compare this with Screamadelica material and it’s amazing how it comes from the same band

Rocks – “Rocks” was a bit disappointing. To me, “Rocks” is just a blistering rock tune that’s full of swagger and just a track that makes you feel cool. However, Bobby kinda just hung back and didn’t deliver the song with as much gusto as I would have expected. It was at this point I was wondering – Is he tired? Are we old? Is this an end of the tour kinda show? I couldn’t place it, but it was definitely lacking the punch you normally expect.

Come Together – The glaring omission from last years show was a good enough reason attend this years show. One of the many great tracks off Screamadelica, “Come Together”‘s dreamy sound soothed all the souls in the house if only for a few minutes and left everyone in a feel good mood. There’s something calming and uplifting about singing “I’m Free! You’re Free!” with a room full of people.

Whatever reservation I might have about this show, which I put as slightly inferior to last years, the crowd still ate it up. Frankly, even if I feel like this show had a little less energy then last year’s show, I also have a little less energy than last year so it’s probably fitting in a macro kind of way.

Posted on by Ricky in Reviews

About Ricky

Britpop lovin Chinaman, consumer of all things irrelevant. Toronto Raptors fan.