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[title]The chameleons of alternative rock are back in Argentina. Primal Scream, led by Bobby Gillespie, will perform on Sunday, November 2 at Mandarine Park as part of Music Wins Festival 2025, which this year also brings Massive Attack as co-headliner.
With more than four decades of history, a repertoire that ranges from indie pop to acid house, and a brand-new album under their belt, the band promises an intense and celebratory night. To set the mood, here are 10 key facts about the Scots who have always known how to reinvent themselves.
1. Born in Glasgow, shaped by the indie scene
Primal Scream was formed in 1982, during Glasgow’s post-punk boom. Bobby Gillespie founded the band while he was still drummer for The Jesus and Mary Chain but soon left that role to fully dedicate himself to his own project.
2. Screamadelica: an album that changed everything
In 1991, they released Screamadelica, an album that blended house, psychedelia, and gospel, redefining the British sound of the ’90s. It won the very first Mercury Prize in history and is considered one of the most influential albums of its generation.
3. A long-standing romance with Argentina
They debuted in the country in 2004, returned in 2016 as part of the Music Wins Festival, and their last Argentine show was in 2018 at Groove. Each visit left its mark, and this comeback after seven years adds another chapter to their love story with local audiences.
4. The mentorship of Andrew Weatherall
DJ and producer Andrew Weatherall was pivotal: he remixed “I’m Losing More Than I’ll Ever Have,” which gave birth to “Loaded,” the hit that paved the way for the Screamadelica explosion.
5. From indie to blues, no stops in between
After the dance beats and psychedelia, they dove into darker, guitar-driven sounds. Give Out But Don’t Give Up (1994) embraced Southern rock and blues, recorded in Memphis with musicians who had worked with Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding.
6. Star-studded collaborations
Over the years, Primal Scream invited guests who elevated their sound: George Clinton (Parliament-Funkadelic) produced parts of Give Out But Don’t Give Up; Kate Moss contributed backing vocals on “Some Velvet Morning”; and Robert Plant (Led Zeppelin) added vocals to Beautiful Future (2008).
7. “Kill All Hippies,” a turn-of-the-millennium anthem
Their album XTRMNTR (2000) took them toward a harsher, industrial sound. Its opening track, “Kill All Hippies,” is a battle cry that encapsulates the band’s political and aesthetic fury in the 2000s.
8. The new chapter: Come Ahead
In November 2024, they released their twelfth album, Come Ahead. The record retains their trademark combative spirit but with a fresh pulse that blends guitars and electronics.
9. Gillespie, an eternal icon
At 62, Bobby remains a magnetic frontman: flashy shirts, unmistakable hairstyles, and that mix of rock shaman and political agitator that made him a cult figure.
10. A band that never repeats itself
Reinvention is their hallmark: from psychedelia to dance, from blues to noise, from industrial rock to electronic music. Each show is different, but with one constant—an incendiary energy that has kept them relevant for more than four decades.
Music Wins Festival 2025: Everything you need to know
When: Sunday, November 2, 2025, at 2:00 PM
Where: Mandarine Park, Costanera Norte & Sarmiento, Buenos Aires
Headliners: Massive Attack and Primal Scream, back after 7 years.
International artists rounding out the lineup:
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Tash Sultana (soul, reggae, live looping, psychedelia)
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L’Impératrice (chic, danceable synth-pop)
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The Whitest Boy Alive (indie pop with Scandinavian funk)
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Yo La Tengo (lo-fi with endless textures)
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Fcukers (emerging New York electronic act)
Local artists will be announced in the coming days.
Where to buy tickets for Music Wins Festival: venti.com.ar/eventos