The influences of a band often become transparent when they play live and Primal Scream is one of those bands that has morphed and shape shifted across the many phases of their now 27 year old career. They have taken in post ecstasy comedown electronica, dub, blues rock and nihilistic electro rock, all of which raised their heads and crooned and screamed in the faces of the audience at Sydney’s Forum.

Adelaide’s Wolf & Cub played a support set to the arriving crowd and the soundman had the band at a surprisingly loud volume in the near empty venue. The floor was vibrating and fillings were rattling. It made for an impressive sound for W+C as their twin drum kit assault produced a dense and intricately rhythmic palette of songs. They offered up an often Primal Scream (particularly in Joel’s vocals) flavoured heavy psych set with dashes of funk and electronica, all riffs, yelps and a huge bass sound anchoring it all down. With a new album due in March it will be interesting to see how they rein in their live energy and translate it to tape.

Primal Scream are known as much for two of their members as they are as a band. Singer Bobby Gillespie has had his day in the celebrity columns while dating Kate Moss and bassist Mani was in the seminal Stone Roses, a band that created a scene before failing to capitalise on their initial success. As they hit the stage all eyes were drawn to these two men, Gillespie resplendent in his hand me down Nick Cave suit and Mani, lean and hungry looking in a fetching pair of tight red trousers and 60s shirt.

Never a band to shy away from ‘bringing it’ to the crowd it took a few songs for the audience to warm to the wall of sound that they were creating on stage. They were an often amusing sight as guitarists Barrie Cadogan and Andrew Innes threw shapes and classic rock poses with abandon, at one point using their instruments like synchronised machine guns. Gillespie meanwhile was all detached cool and lackadaisical disdain, spitting out his words like Mark E Smith fronting The Stooges. When not at the mic he stood still and expressionless, like a rabbit in the headlights, as the group surged on around him.

In many ways it was a near perfect set list with songs taken from most points in their career. ‘Higher Than The Sun’ was received with raised arms and reminiscing smiles from those who were living it up back in 91. ‘Swastika Eyes’ from the coruscating, dark and brilliant Xtrmntr album was a revelation under the red lights and ‘Rocks’ and ‘Jailbird’ off the maligned Stones tribute ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’. upped the part atmosphere. Those particular songs have aged well and live they were often brilliant in their rama-lama boogie delivery that had many in the audience dancing wildly.

The new album Beautiful Future received a strong airing with at least five songs being played. The title track and ‘Uptown’ in particular sounded fantastic with their pop melodies and the sparkling synths of Martin Duffy who was hidden behind a wall of keyboards for the entire show. ‘Uptown’ is representative of the new direction they have taken and live you can see how they have evolved to this point in their songwriting, working through their fears and demons, getting clean and clearly getting more enjoyment out of what they do.
The show ended with a massive tsunami of feedback as the band left the stage one by one. Mani saluted the crowd and pumped his fist with that mad grin on his face as he bounded off. It was an oddly soothing feeling staring at a stage now empty of people with the laser lights, sirens and sonic screeching still destroying my eyes and ears.

Primal Scream are a true post modern rock band in the sense that they take from the past,  deconstructing and reconstructing the best of their heroes and adding their own experiences and attitude. Seeing them live again reaffirmed that though they may at times sound like other bands, there aren’t many bands that sound like Primal Scream. A feat that should not be underestimated.