As Bobby Gillespie knows, bringing the rock can make you blurry. As one, all the epileptics in the audience collapse... This is sort of what the show would've looked like if you'd had the same drugs the band took. "Hello. Got any jams that need kicking out?" Contrary to popular rumor, it actually is possible to photograph Kevin Shields with a conventional camera. Live photographs by George Zahora

At some point in the last two years, Primal Scream decided to get political. Formerly a laid back troupe of drug dustbins, the Scream are now a no-frills bunch of militant left-wing political rabble-rousers -- all of which has very little social significance (at least as far as most are concerned) but has had an impressive impact on the band’s music. Their new album, Xtrmntr, is by far their best work since 1991’s epochal Screamadelica -- and possibly their best album ever. Their live show has apparently also received a well-needed shot in the arm. Though the Scream didn't tour the US in support of 1997’s Vanishing Point, overseas reviews of the band’s live show during that period were less than complimentary. This made the prospect of Primal Scream's first North American tour in 8 years that much more compelling. The stakes were high; could they deliver? Well, we were about to find out as the new, nine-member-strong Scream team took the stage.

(Incidentally, rather than seeming like a ripoff, Primal Scream's lack of an opening act was a refreshing change. I've got nothing against opening acts, but it was nice to get down to business right on schedule. -- GZ)

The proper Scream line-up of Bobby Gillespie, Mani, Throb, Andrew Innes and Martin Duffy trooped out first, to thunderous applause, with the remaining members of the Scream live experience following close behind. The touring Scream, as some of you may know, includes remixer extrordinaire and My Bloody Valentine leader Kevin Shields, giving his first public performances in God Knows How Long.

(A curious thing about Shields -- for the longest time, I thought he'd somehow managed to extend his trademark production style to his own appearance. Photographs of him invariably turned out to be nothing more than blurry, hypnotic smears of light and texture...'til I finally (and almost disappointingly) nabbed the shot you'll see at the right. -- GZ)

Once situated and properly tuned, the band wasted no time in ripping into a bombastic version of "Swastika Eyes", which seethed and coursed with piles of overdriven guitars and Gillespie’s infamous rant/rap. Next, they proceeded to tear into a lightning-fast version of "Shoot Speed, Kill Light", which was rife with Shields’ swirling guitar work and a pummeling rhythmic assault. From that point onward, the show moved along at a breakneck pace, the band dispensing song after song like so many bullets from a machine gun. The band played nearly every song from their new Xtrmntr album -- only Shields’ Arkestra remix of "If they Move Kill 'Em" and the Chemical Brothers’ high-NRG remix of "Swastika Eyes" were left out. A massive assortment of intellibeams and other lights kept things moving at an MTV-styled, jump-cut pace.

(Though Gillespie and Co's drug consumption is legendary -- our press contact had jokingly suggested that they were unlikely to be sober/straight long enough for us to interview them -- none of them looked particularly "off" this evening...so at least they're doing drugs that enhance their performance. -- GZ)

Particularly potent live were readings of Xtrmntr's title track, "Accelerator" and the demented electro-gurgle of "Insect Royalty". It wasn't all new material, mind you -- the Scream also delved into their impressive back catalog to resurrect (and often rejuvenate) classics like "Burning Wheel", "Rocks", "Higher than the Sun", "Out of the Void" and "Movin’ on Up". The highlight of the regular set was an uncompromisingly evil reading of "Kowalski" in which Gillespie spewed venomously over the band’s cacophonous wail.

The regular set ended but the best was yet to come.

After stumbling out for an encore, then retreating backstage to refresh their buzz, Primal Scream returned for one last triumphant kick in the teeth.

(During the first encore, a bald guy in a suit and sunglasses found his way onstage and proceeded to dance around. He actually added a great deal to the performance, and the band seemed to like him. When I ran into him outside, I was disappointed to hear that he'd been ejected after his "guest shot". Luckily, he'd known the set in advance and only missed the final encore... -- GZ)

The second encore was a ritualistic demolition of the MC5’s “Kick Out the Jams”. The song was the very definition of balls-out rock n’ roll. Savage riffs from all three guitarists propelled the dirge-like onslaught, while Bobby did his best Fred “Sonic” Smith impersonation. In short, it was amazing.

With that, the Scream were silent -- but not before delivering one of the most inspired and viscerally exciting performances in recent memory. They came, they saw, they kicked our asses with some proper fucking rock n’ roll. Bobby G. for president, though? We’ll have to think about that one.

Main article by Jason Jackowiak. Comments and photography by George Zahora.