Primal Scream: Unbridled joy at an idyllic Castlefield Bowl

Undoubtedly one of our favourite gig settings in Manchester, this summer saw Castlefield Bowl pull together one of their most impressive lineups to date.

Drawing things to a close, the cultural behemoths that are Primal Scream, an outfit whose influence has shown no sign of wavering in their four illustrious decades of existence.

Going one better, this show would see the Scottish pioneers performing their truly seminal record, Screamadelica, in its entirety.

The sun-soaked canal-side venue, the most perfect, idyllic setting imaginable for a group that has had such a colossal impact on Mancunian music and pop culture in general.

A mix of generations stands united as Gillespie and co begin rattling through these tracks, ones that still sound as genuinely innovative and groundbreaking as the first time they reached the masses in ’91.

As the pace twists and turns between the infectious grooves of Come Together, and the otherworldly synths of Inner Flight, punters seamlessly switch between care-free moving and shaking, to jaw-dropped captivation. Bobby Gillespie is at the absolute peak of his powers, he has us all.

If the first three-quarters of proceedings were brilliant, and that they were, then the encore is on another planet, and nothing short of a masterclass in song selection. Loaded, Swastika Eyes (a contender for highlight of the evening), Jailbird and Country Girl all offer an entranced crowd one final chance to let loose. Of course, they oblige.

“Dealers keep dealin’, thieves keep thievin'”…Inhibitions are thrown to the wind as Bobby launches into Rocks, a gorgeous evening’s deserving big finish. It’s joyous, swathes of complete strangers arm in arm as they attempt to belt the lyrics back, pure, unbridled ecstasy.