Scot-rockers Primal Scream brought a nostalgic trip down the tracklist of Screamadelica to Cardiff Castle this Friday.
The show marks 30 years since the album’s release, inviting Joy Division and New Order bassist, Peter Hook to perform a DJ set to open, with rave legends the Happy Mondays making their first appearance since the sad death of their bassist Paul Ryder.
Late 1991 was a time for alternative guitar driven rock. Nirvana's Nevermind hit big in the last quarter of the year, skyrocketing grunge to the top of the charts in numerous countries, alongside classics-to-be including Red Hot Chilli Peppers' Blood Sugar Sex Magik, Pearl Jam's Ten and My Bloody Valentine were soon to release Loveless.
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But none struck a chord at quite as oblique an angle as Screamadelica, with its primary coloured and cartoon-eyed cover begging every raver nursing an MD comedown to take it home from the record shop. It's a marriage of several very different sensibilities, the kind that shouldn't work but somehow does, as acid house beats combine with a alt rock rhythm section, bluesy guitar riffs and often soulful, uplifting vocal harmonies.
It's a combination that's described as of its time, and completely timeless. I didn’t see much short of that.
The castle has always been a beacon sat at the top of St Mary Street, but it was all the more so as Peter Hook blared Underworld's Born Slippy down Womanby Street, as if calling all '90s ravers to a queue hundreds deep along the castle walls to go enjoy some lager and shouting. It moved quickly and we were in.
“You’ll never f***ing see this again, will you?” A guy (no bucket hat but he was in a deep polo shirt) mutters to his mate as he wanders through the castle gates. And there they emerged. As the sun set between the castle and the stage, a neon Happy Mondays sign lit behind Shaun Ryder in usual business mode, launching into the classics hiding in parka, cap, and sunglasses. All while chuffing on his vape. Bez struts, maracas in hand (correct tempo optional, hips mandatory) as he bends and leans across the crowd. He leads the thing. Forever bringing the background to the foreground, and always finding the audience on his side.
At the first mention of Paul Ryder, Shaun’s sadly recently lost brother and bassist, Bez wrestles the mic out of Shaun’s hands.
“Iechyd da!”
It has the desired effect. Several thousand Welsh ravers are quite pleased with that. We danced to Kinky Afro, and melons were given their requisite twisting.
With a brief interval in between, Bobby Gillespie marches onto stage, with backing singers clad and lit beautifully in all white, in front of a huge, constantly shifting psychedelic projection. They slip into Movin’ On Up and it’s a treat to be amid thousands of outstretched arms for Come Together.
It’s the full album experience but in the wrong order. Shifting between moods and taking a huge number of '90s music fans back to a seismic, beautiful moment where a group of fringe genres came together in a way that made sense and unity out of disparate themes.
Gillespie chooses to wear a shirt and, I think, jeans combo that together make the Screamadelica cover. I think we all want to take it home and wear it around the house. Maybe the £25 t-shirt at the merch table will be enough.
For full disclosure, I was born in 1993 and only felt the distant waves of Screamadelica years later because my older brother had a CD collection that was fun to raid. But it was fun to go back there with a sea of outstretched arms to Loaded and Country Girl for company.
On turning 30, I’m getting there soon and I wish I looked as good as Screamadelica on it.
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