Photo: Aaron Sammut

It’s a relief to see The Tivoli’s doors are even open. Chinese whispers have bounced from email to email through the afternoon that after a big one in Sydney last night, frontman Bobby Gillespie was too ill to make the flight to Brisbane. Still, we’re here, they’re here, and all should be ok once the band strides out. Instead, five Primal Scream members stride out to launch into Kill All Hippies, followed by a withered, nonplussed Gillespie looking like a palliative care patient that’s been told he has to stand up and repeat the words to a few of his songs if he wants his meds. From the start it’s clear that this is a man for whom ‘going through the motions’ would be too much of an effort. While the committed crowd remains generously enthusiastic to the notion that things might improve, Gillespie himself stands at the microphone like it’s a process line and he’s on minimum wage.

Things improve slightly by Beautiful Future, about six songs in. The band have run up and bombdived into a pool of dirty rock & roll and excess volume, guitar staple Andrew Innes has acknowledged we’re there, and a gobsmacking green laser show takes our minds off the sad old dude with attitudinal narcolepsy propped up beneath it. But wait. Is Bobby dancing? By newie Suicide Bomb, he’s even taken the microphone out of the stand to move around momentarily. Perhaps those meds have kicked in. By this stage, everyone’s enjoying themselves. Innes and bassist Mani are like the Cheeky Mischief Twins, machine-gunning the crowd with their instruments, and sabotaging each other’s playing. The fun is contagious, and by the time we hear their greatest hits belting out (Swastika Eyes, Movin’ On Up, Rocks), the mood has against all odds hit a party peak. Girls climb onto shoulders and crowdsurf, someone shakes up a beer and sprays it over the front rows – this is pretty much the epitome of Brisbane midweek debauchery. And just in time. A four-song encore follows, including honky tonk highlight Country Girl, but it’s just icing on a cake that appeared to be past its expiration date, only to end up tasting delicious. Astounding.

SIMON TOPPER

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