Primal Scream
Cardiff Solus
It seems as though you have to take one step back to move two steps forward in modern music today. The industry is in the thrall of nostalgia; first it was the deluxe edition of a reissued classic album, now it’s the anniversary tour commemorating said classic album. You can envisage a set of bands in creative limbo, counting down the days until they can hit the road and dust down their critically-acclaimed debut – but how long do you give it? Ten years? Maybe just five?

Well, it’s been twenty years since the release of Screamadelica, the epic dance-rock spectacle from Glaswegians Primal Scream. It’s been the band’s high water mark since 1991, so why not give it another airing on tour? The gig begins in album track order as front man Bobby Gillespie snake-hips his way through opener Movin’ On Up as the album’s artwork shimmers brightly behind him on a huge screen.

A few tracks in, the band decide to shuffle the set list which brings a much more sedate middle with the beautiful Damaged and blissful I’m Coming Down. The superb, acid-drenched Higher Than The Sun is dedicated to former Creation Records boss Alan McGee (a song which McGee calls his most important release on the label) and an extended mix slides skilfully into Loaded – still as fresh and euphoric today as it was on release two decades ago.

There’s more rousing to come, with Come Together casting Gillespie as the preacher man and the crowd as his congregation with the call and response of ‘come together, as one’ sending the venue into complete delirium. The three-song encore is just as impressive, kicking off with Country Girl and delving into the highlights from Screamadelica’s follow-up, Give Out But Don’t Give Up, with the funky Jailbird and the Rolling Stones-esque swagger of Rocks. This was more than just a trawl through former glories - it was a timely reminder of how important a record Screamadelica was, and in fact, still is.
Michael Took

Avenue Q The Musical
Following a successful run on Broadway, including winning three Tony Awards in 2004, one for Best Musical, Avenue Q arrived in London’s West End in June 2006 to re-open the Noël Coward Theatre.

Rave reviews and endless ‘celebrity’ testimonials have led to the highly acclaimed show finally coming on tour, so leaving any preconceptions about ‘musicals’ safely at the office, RedHanded went to see what all the fuss was about.

The story centres around Princeton, a college graduate (who also happens to be a puppet), with no job and little money who finds himself a cheap place to rent on the eponymous Avenue Q. The other residents of this run down New York street are a motley crew of humans, puppets and monsters. All good so far.

Princeton decides that he must find his purpose in life and with the help of his new neighbours sets off on a journey of self-discovery. On the way he encounters some tricky subjects (everyday niggles, such as inter-racial dating, homosexuality, racism etc) but deals with them in true musical fashion – by bursting into song and having a bit of a dance!

And of course, no musical would be complete without the obligatory will they/won’t they romantic storyline, although this one begins rather unromantically with a graphic, drunken sexual liaison between a puppet and a monster.

The show could be described as a sort of Sesame Street for grown-ups and as with Sesame Street your brain quickly adjusts to the fact that humans are interacting with puppets. Although, unlike the TV show you can see their human controllers, but far from detracting from the show this adds an extra dimension to the performance. It also allows for an appreciation of the amount of work these actors have to put in. Not only do they need to move the puppet, but they also have to talk, sing and move themselves at the same time. What makes it even more impressive is that none of the cast were puppeteers before joining the show and they have all had to learn the skill as part of their roles.

Anyone still unconvinced that this is not ‘just another musical’ need only look at the set list, which includes such educational numbers as Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist and The Internet Is For Porn, to be assured that this is not your average theatre fare.
Jo Roberts

RedHanded is listening to the music!