Few people know how to hang off a microphone like Bobby Gillespie. With his right arm over the top, at times it seems to be the only thing holding him up. Over the last 20 years, Gillespie has perfected an air of detached cool -- it's not indifference -- and he's on form tonight at Music Hall of Williamsburg, despite a Sunday night crowd that takes a while to warm up. Maybe Primal Scream too, who don't really hit their stride till Screamadelica highlight "Higher Than the Sun." But from there, it's pretty much Hit City, climaxing with "Swastika Eyes," Movin' on Up" and "Rocks" (the latter of which is one of my least favorite 'Scream songs but I'm in the minority on that.) For a band often accused of genre-hopping, it's a cohesive set of Stones-influenced rockers: sometimes a little bit dancey, sometimes a little bit dub; sometimes a little bit country, sometimes a little bit rock n' roll. Like Soundtrack of Our Lives, Primal Scream get by on good taste, musicanship, and throwing shapes more than originality or lyrical content... and when it's done this well, it's enough.
SETLIST: Kill All Hippies | Can't Go Back | Miss Lucifer | Suicide Sally | Jailbird | Beautiful Future | Higher Than The Sun | Deep Hit | Exterminator | Suicide Bombs | Sick City | Shoot Speed | Swastika Eyes | Movin' On Up | Rocks | ENCORE: Damaged | Country Girl | Accelerator
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