With their checkered history of addiction and loss, Primal Scream have often been erratic live, yet post-pandemic they’re flourishing quite miraculously, with ace guitarist Andrew Innes, Simone Butler (bass) and Darrin Mooney (drums) now joined by Terry Miles (Duffy’s cousin) on keys, and Fat White Family’s Alex White on sax.

This, however, was not to be a repeat of last summer’s in-full renditions of 1991’s era-defining Screamadelica album, instead initially exploring darker, more challenging post-millennial tracks such as the jazzily offbeat Sideman, and a pulsatingly psychedelic Deep Hit of the Morning Sun. He appeared momentarily choked then grinned manically as perennial party-starter Movin’ On Up had the whole bowl singing, in a jubilant vote of confidence. Late afternoon in Crystal Palace Bowl, bruised skies threatened overhead until Gillespie’s childhood friends, The Jesus and Mary Chain, blasted away the storm clouds with feedback-drenched alt-pop.Įast Kilbride’s Reid brothers – singer Jim sleek and brooding up front, guitarist William a rotund blur of riffs and flyaway grey curls – were galvanised by both a propulsive new drummer, Elastica’s Justin Welch, in a role originally filled by Gillespie in their mid-1980s days of riots and smashed guitars, and, for slo-mo classic Just Like Honey, a glammed-up duet with fellow Scot Isobel Campbell.Īs dusk fell, Gillespie finally materialised, impeccably attired in a silver suit, and speculatively invited the packed crowd to add their voices to his five-strong House Gospel Choir. Post-controversy, South Facing’s Friday billing was like a rallying of the troops to sweep away those online-cancellation blues.

Still, wouldn’t it have been better for all bereaved parties if Twitter’s judge-and-jury hadn’t irresponsibly passed sentence on the evidence of but one witness? Some of the allegations from an inquest statement widely shared by keyboardist Martin Duffy’s son Louie have since been disputed: Duffy, who’d been battling alcoholism and last December tragically passed away after a fall at his Brighton home, apparently didn’t die “penniless”. Only a few weeks ago, you’d have expected this outdoor extravaganza to be empty but for a small lynch mob throwing rocks, so unanimously hateful was social-media opinion on Bobby Gillespie’s crew.

Shout classics wild at heart