Photo Credit James Edmond
First of two sold out shows for Bobby Gillespie and the band, playing at this legendary venue. A home town show for Bobby and you can expect the un expected from the band on the first of the two shows.
Opening the show tonight is Blackburn band The Illicits who are on the Alan McGee Creation 23 label, the hard-hitting Indie Rock band took to the stage and treated the Glasgow crowd to an awesome support set, the band are currently on the road promoting their latest single “Left Behind / Born Slippy”. The four-piece band featuring George Richards-Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar, Brad Hayes-Lead Guitar, Joe Mitchell-Bass and Matt Cottam-Drums, are going all out to entertain and bring the music to the forefront, delighting the Glasgow crowd. If you are looking for a band to check out at a venue near you The Illicits are that band, full of energy, passion and Indie Rock n Roll the way we like it.
The stage lights dimmed, it was getting close to that time, Bobby Gillespie and Primal Scream are getting ready to take to the stage, the intro music started and with the sound of The Clash London calling coming through the speakers before Will Fyffe “I Belong to Glasgow”, shadows of the band could be seen around the stage. Bobby dressed in a Salmon Pink suit observed the amazing reception from the home crowd before the unmistakeable “Don’t Fight it, Feel it”, you could see from Bobby’s eyes he was in dreamland playing to the Glasgow audience in the famous venue. Strutting his stuff around the stage, engaging with the crowd on the first few rows from the barriers. The excellent “Swastika Eyes” had he Glasgow crowd dancing and singing along with the buzzing atmosphere exploding all around, images beaming from the giant LCD screens entranced the crowd.
Primal Scream dug into their back catalogue, hit after hit, gave the Glasgow crowd a very early Christmas present with songs “Kill All Hippies”, “Velocity Girl” & “Imperial”. The band on top form produced an epic sound that had the walls in the venue vibrating and the floor moving between the bass and the audience dancing along to the hits.
Closing in on the final stages of an energetic set, a mix of hits from their early albums including “Loaded”, “Movin’ on Up” and the delightful “Country Girl” before making their way off the stage. This was not going to end here, the crowd was ready and the band looked like they had unfinished business to get on with.
Before long they were back with a bang, as the first cords of the amazing “Come Together” could be heard, the crowd and band became one, not that is was needed on this epic night, Bobby moving from front to back and left to right of the stage engaging with the crowd as he delivers the ultimate set to the ultimate fans in the famous venue. Closing the show in Primal Scream style with a triumphant version of “Jailbird” before ending the show in the best possible way with “Rocks”, this venue lost its rocks by the first 4 songs and pulled out everything to stay with the band as it treated them to a classic set, fronted with home town boy Bobby Gillespie.
This was a Maximum Rock n’ Roll show of the highest standard from Glasgow’s own son Bobby Gillespie and his Primal Scream.
