Back in the top 20 with their first album in two decades, The Jesus and Mary Chain are rebuilding a career that was prone to self-sabotage. Older and now sober, the Reid brothers may be less volatile but there was still a frisson of danger surrounding this performance. On a murky stage, William Reid was identifiable by his shock of grey hair and ear-splitting guitar, while Jim was a nonchalant presence crooning in the shadows.
Backed by a tight rhythm section, the Scottish siblings unleashed a ferocious sonic assault that offered occasional glimpses of light. April Skies, their biggest hit from 30 years ago, was greeted like an old friend by moshing fans.
New songs showed a similar lightness of touch, particularly the mellow fuzz-rock of Mood Rider and the bittersweet Always Sad, featuring guest vocalist Bernadette Denning. In the main, though, The Jesus and Mary Chain combined nihilistic lyrics and noisy indie-rock, including an incendiary Reverence.
Despite the hint of surliness, this performance ultimately felt celebratory during Some Candy Talking and the generous encore drawn from their seminal debut, Psychocandy.
Jim Reid was sheepish about ending on a sprawling new song, War on Peace, but at least his band are finally focused on the future as much as past glories.
