Primal Scream

Brixton Academy, London SW9

4 Stars

Neil Young once sang "Hey hey, my my, rock and roll will never die" and, for many, this ideal still burns bright.

But the torch carriers have been too few and what Primal Scream demonstrate at this outing is that rock'n'roll without punk rock coursing through its veins is pointless and a road to apathy.

The latter's certainly not the case as Bobby Gillespie and co take the stage after one hell of a year.

Written off countless times after the nostalgic tour of Screamadelica, last May's release of More Light sent a message that the Primals are alive and well.

They open with 2013 and the crowd are immediately in raptures.

The twisted saxophone and Andrew Innes's blistering riffs are a force to be reckoned with but, as ever, the star is Gillespie.

He makes sure that the venomous verses, gorged with anger about today's decaying society, are heard clearly to challenge and provoke the audience.

Then, just as he has all 5,000 people at his mercy, he throws them the anthemic chorus "It's the final solution/To teenage revolution/The total subjugation/Of the rock and roll nation" for all to sing, shout and raise fists aloft to.

Much of their new album is well received, especially the menacing Culturecide with its combination of jazz flute, rave sirens and lyrical attacks on the deterioration of Cameron's "big society."

Rocks and Loaded are given an airing and met with glee but the centre piece is undoubtedly the twisted disco of Swastika Eyes.

It's played with such energy and conviction you would be forgiven in thinking that the Apocalypse was imminent and this song is the last you'll ever hear.

Mike Adams