Primal Scream and Jesus and Mary Chain at Crystal Palace

I guess because of a desire to spread out entries to the gig and cut down on queues, this gig gave a price incentive to arrive early. Cheaper if you arrived before 5pm. And I love being early, so suited me down to the ground! Arrived early and got a great spot front centre at Crystal Palace. And stayed there for the next 6 hours!

As there was a fair wait until the first act we were entertained by a DJ set, with the music all being obscure but interesting sixties stuff. Played by a delightfully curmudgeonly old Scotsman (below left - typical comment -"If you don't like this you can f**k off") shared with a member of the opening act (right) - the Black Angels.

Now I had never heard of the Black Angels although some of the members of the crowd I was chatting to had done and said how good they were. And good they were indeed. Massively bass driven band, hailing from Austin, Texas (so not the obvious stablemate of the two Scottish bands to follow). 

This genre is known as "Psych rock" - rock has many different varieties! A little research shows they have been going some 20 years, so not exactly an up and coming band, although mere novices compared to the two later acts.

Chatting to several people around us in the crowd, many of them had really come not to see the headliners, but the support - the Jesus and Mary Chain. Now I have seen them a couple of times before - the first time I think in 1985 or 1986 when I was student in Nottingham, which gives you a good idea of how long they have been going. The trademark long black hair and dark glasses (and general diffidence) of their youth has largely gone. And for the most part they have matured gracefully. They have succeeded in pulling off the cool pensioner look. 

Even more of a guitar act than the Black Angels, keyboards don't even grace the stage - just guitars and a drummer. Lead singer Jim Reid has a fine voice, but really isn't a natural front man. Well you probably aren't if you are in what is essentially a shoegaze band. Introspection is the order of the day. They also really suit a small venue more than a London park. Don't take from that this was anything but a very enjoyable set. They were great. But there was a distinct contrast with the headliners, Primal Scream (featuring the Jesus and Mary Chain's old drummer, Bobby Gillespie)

We were ever so lucky with the weather. Rain was forecast but none came, and by the time Jesus and Mary Chain played, as you can see below. it was lovely blue skies, and Jim Reid was bemoaning that after wearing dark glasses indoors for years he had none here and the sun was in his eyes.

Possibly my best photo of the night. Benefit of a zoom lens and standing right on the barrier.

Good as the Jesus and Mary Chain were, as an entertainment the arrival of Primal Scream was a step up in class. That is not to say they are a superior band musically. That, of course, is a matter of taste. But Bobby Gillespie really does command a stage. It had turned dark so the lighting really came to the fore. Primal Scream have a squad of backing singers (essentially a small gospel choir) so that alone adds stage presence. They also have explored so many musical styles that the set veered from gospel into blues, dance into rock. It all tied together remarkably well live. You just became glued to the stage in a way that one hadn't been up to that point.

This was the first time I had seen them, and I am very glad I finally got round to it before they really get too old to be doing this sort of thing. They started with the gospel/dance number Movin' On Up from Screamadelica which really captured the crowd's attention, and finished with what I think is their biggest hit, and their nearest to a rock anthem, Rocks. Overall a very well judged set I thought. 

A big feature on this set was the guest appearance of Alex White of Fat White Family on sax

Quite proud of this shot too - a striking image of the band

Now the quality of the music, the general good humour of a knowledgeable crowd and the reasonable weather - no rain and never too hot - was only half the reason I had such a good time. The other half was my company for the evening. I just love taking someone  to their first proper gig, and the young man who stepped up to the plate this time was Louis, eldest son of one of my colleagues. The great thing about going with youngsters is that they still find seeing a band a genuinely exciting experience and not merely entertaining. And of course going for the first time is doubly exciting as you don't quite know what to expect.

While going with a semi retired pension lawyer is no boy's dream, it does of course leave his parents suitably reassured! And he did benefit from my experience in knowing how to get the most of this sort of affair. Hence he saw his first gig right at the front despite a crowd of many thousands, I kept his place while he went to get food, and got us out at sufficient speed to actually catch the only train from Crystal Palace that hadn't been cancelled. And took him to see some really top notch guitar bands (he plays guitar himself) that would not probably have been on his radar otherwise. So, all in all we both had a very good day. (Oh and he is also very chilled and chatty and great company. What's not to like?)

But like all youngsters, Louis just had no stamina. After a mere 6 hours of standing he let the side down by having a seat on the platform. (Ok, I might have joined him if I wasn't afraid of not being able to get back up again😀)