Primal Scream Turn Up the Heat as XTRMNTR Still Sounds Like a Warning – Bristol Electric
Bristol Electric, 13th September 2026
WORDS / IMAGES SAM HOLT
Glasgow band Primal Scream have never fitted neatly into a single genre, they cross many boundaries in their style, many of their albums splintering off in different directions, the band are currently touring to promote XTRMNTR. They played a special one off show last year in London to mark its 25th anniversary, tonight they bring the tour to Bristol’s Electric venue.
It's not an easy album to listen to, in my opinion, but that's not how it's supposed to be—it's designed to provoke thought and develop ideas for discussion and contemplate. Even though the album was released in 1999, many of the themes are still relevant today—perhaps even more so because people change but the rotten core still permeates our lives. These themes include challenging the world order, the precedence of later stages of capitalism, greed, authoritarianism, war, genocide and violence while examining who holds the power and how it is used.
Tonight's opening acts is: The guitar and bass pair Escape ism who told us ‘they were a protest band’ when they took the stage. ‘Let's enjoy ourselves while we can’. Sandy Denton provided bass and keys, while Ian Svenonious, the vocalist, played fuzzy guitar with a drum machine. Ian employed spoken word throughout the show, and Sandy played some excellent bass lines. They appeared to be well-liked by the Bristol audience, and I have to say that I liked their song "Rome wasn't burnt in a day."
The record wasn't one I was familiar with, so I listened to it multiple times beforehand to get a sense of it. However, it takes on a whole depth when performed live. It was performed in chronological order and had a powerful impact, both musically and visually, highlighting the atrocities that many people over the world endure. The song "Swastika Eyes," which has been performed twice, really resonates with me. In fact, the band turns to face the visuals as they finish the first rendition. Images for a screen with the words "STOP GENOCIDE END APARTHEID" Yes, the music has a chilly, robotic beat, yet it works rather well.
On the other hand, vocalist Bobby interjects about concentration camps as an introduction to the track Pills, it creates a terrifying atmosphere. The strong bass-driven instrumental song Blood Money introduces a saxophone and trumpet brass section, adding an additional depth. The band clearly enjoys performing songs from the record since it's an opportunity to relax, as evidenced by the interaction between the bassist and guitarists. Although it's not the sole instrumental, I find it to have a stronger resonance. The ending of the reprise of Swastika Eyes simply states, "OUR GOVERNMENT IS COMPLICIT IN GENOCIDE," while the images depict world leaders and others supporting the development of fascism, the horrors of war, and the consequences of war.
As the band leave the stage, Bobby turns to the Bristol crowd and simply says “You know what to do if you want more”, and they did.
After a brief interval, they reappear, with Bobby Gillespie praising their former bassist Mani before playing Kowalski, a song from 1997. They then go on to perform a number of their other songs, such as Movin on Up and Country Girl, which they intended to temporarily rename West Country Girl, before concluding with the popular Rocks.
Given that many people find comfort in music and that the record emphasises how the world has become completely "fugazi," to use a term that has been bandied around in recent years, are they correct to express political ideas after tonight's performance? That will always be debatable, but I can see why they did. The lighting was very dark and red, but it led to a fantastic atmosphere, and yes, I do prefer the live version of the album.
SET LIST
Kill All Hippies
Accelerator
Exterminator
Swastika Eyes [Jagz Kooner Mix]
Pills
Blood Money
Keep Your Dreams
Insect Royalty
MV Arkestra [If They Move Kill ‘EM]
Swastika Eyes [Chemical Brothers Mix]
Shoot Speed / Kill Light
Kowalksi
I’m 5 Years Ahead of My Time [cover]
I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have
Loaded
Movin’ On Up
Country Girl
Rocks
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