Smashing Mag / Primal Scream @ Akasaka Blitz (12th Feb. '00)

Primal Scream @ Akasaka Blitz (12th Feb. '00)

-------In Your Face-------
	After an hour and a half train ride (solo) from Shibuya to Tokyo Bay N.K. Hall (we're talkin' b.f.e. here folks...friggin' toiiiiiiii-yo!) I was wondering if I was even in the mood for a show. A full day of work almost took all my energy, and the fact that I was going to be by myself in a huge auditorium wasn't exactly thrilling. But, no sooner did I grab a beer and sit my ass down, the lights went off, the crowd went nutso, and I settled in to see Bobby Gillespie strut out onto the stage to say... "We're gonna tear the roof off this fucking place! And you're gonna help us!.......and I said you're gonna help us!!!!" ...the singer in mirror shades delivered these profound words sending the mostly Japanese speaking audience into a frenzy. "Swastika Eyes" was the next thing to tear through the heads of thousands of fans packed into the auditorium and the next thing you know...the venue was transformed into a bumpin'n'thumpin pogo palace. I couldn't help but think that the designers of the building had actually placed springs under the floor. That...or an earthquake with a sense of rhythm had struck at the perfect time. A middle aged man looking like he didn't really expect all this chaos reached for his ear-plugs and I started to think of ways to translate, "Fuck ear-plugs daddio...FEEL the noise!" into Japanese but quickly dismissed the idea and went back to enjoying the show. Shortly thereafter...the crowd was still bobbing around with heads choc-full of retina-burn from the flashing lights. Distorted disobedience hit the kids in the nasty-funky-naughty bone, and the girls started to crawl up onto the shoulders of unfortunate boyfriends. The energy of this concert is the kind that makes music lovers and concert goers double over kicking and crying like giddy little girls...and the thought crossed my mind that, "hmmm...this name really does fit the band!" Primal Scream...nine heads divided into four axes (shoe gazer stances traded in for the wide-legged pelvic pose), two twisted horns, a beat-master, a vocalist (and attitude adjuster), and an electronic mad professor. Together, these Brit-cats create the digital rock'n'roll (and I emphasize the rock'nroll) of the 90's. Plenty of attitude, and plenty of that (and here's the key word) primal power. So, the first few songs were the most familiar tunes from their latest releases and then they busted into their spooky spy stuff, hitting the crowd with plenty of hippy-groovie spot-lights. Just as things got wound up tighter than an eight day clock...a spring cut loose and un-plugged an amp (thankfully between songs) and after minor technical difficulties, they slipped into their darker mellower mood for one song. But, without missing a beat, they bounced back with "Kill All Hippies" groove provided bass player Gary "Mani" Mounfield who was busy channeling Peter Hook on meth-amphetamines. When I thought things were getting a little bit on the repetitive side...they revived Little Richard to save the day thus jumping into their cover of "Get Your Rocks Off." The crowd did just exactly that sending feet flailing in the pit, hands clapping above the heads, and sure enough, the pogo land was back. To finish it off, the lead singer says, "I think I busted a hole in my trousers." Having had enough of the happy pop stuff they broke into a big-ass beat, screaming white noise and chunka-chunka-chunka guitars reminding me of brakes on a Shinkansen (express train) out of control. The arms of Andrew Innes (guitar) like a piston driving a train-full of Japanese residents to their death. But sparing us assassination by rock...they ended after a one hour set, gave us just enough time to breathe and returned to dedicate the encore "Higher Than The Sun," and "Loaded" to the fucking security. Bobby, Andrew and Robert attempted to incite a riot, but the words fell on a largely Japanese speaking audience, so the masses traversed happily and peacefully to the busses and trains. All said and done, this was a rock'n'roll experience well worth the trip.