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Store Vega 28th Aug 2011, 4 out of 6 stars

“Good evening Copenhagen !” “We’re Primal Scream and we’re going to kick your a**” These were the opening words from the enigmatic, controversial lead singer of Primal Scream, the legendary Bobby Gillespie, as he took to the stage at Vega yesterday. Two hours later, at the end of a sweaty, hefty concert and few present will deny that Primal Scream did just that. In fact, the London based alternative rockers were nothing less than brilliant on the evening, performing with energy and enthusiasm that could easily have filled and thrilled an entire Wembley.

The fact that Primal Scream were performing songs off their “Screamadelica” album, a collectors artifact that’s a good twenty years testifies as to just how timeless a musical creation it is. Screamadelica was an album that espoused the fusion of acid house and alternative rock with a perfection comparable to few other artists and bands of the immediate post acid house period of the early 90’s. Many will in fact argue that it is the album that best elucidates Primal Scream’s varied and eclectic musical genius, and hence it is little wonder that the band are at their unbeatable best when performing songs off it.

“High till the day I die”

Sunday’s concert started in subtle fashion, with a couple of tracks that warmed the crowd up before guest singer Denise Johnson stole the hearts of the audience with her performance of “Don’t fight it feel it.” Denise’s powerful lyrics juxtaposed alongside epic piano stabs and catchy, quick-fire beats set the tone for the rest of the evening, which built up progressively, layer upon layer. A particularly emblematic moment during the proceedings was “Loaded,” Primal Screams signature track, played towards the end of the concert, a tune that proved to be the instigator of quite the crowd frenzy as Bobby Gillespie’s rebellious chants of “we wanna be free to do what we wanna do” rang loud and crystal clear over pronounced electric guitar strings in the background. A cheery ovation from the audience at the end of it all, punctuated by chants of “high till the day that I die” summed up Primal Scream’s night out at Vega. Musical history was re-lived and recreated through the echoes of the second summer of love, a musical period that fueled the dance floor dreams of an entire generation.

Pic: Wiki commons