A perfect complement to a historic weekend for Dundee

Back opened, with a finale which matched their very best songs to one another; the blissed-out acid house psych of Come Together and Loaded, and the irresistible party rock of Country Girl and Rocks. Yet Gillespie and co. remain just subversive enough to slip a song about industrialised state oppression (Swastika Eyes) in there, as well as dedicating Shoot Speed Kill Light to the Associates’ Alan Rankine and Billy Mackenzie, “heroes of ours and sons of your city”, in Gillespie’s words. Of the V&A, he said “we hope it’ll inspire a new generation of young artists – that’s what we want, right?”

For the occasion, friend of the band and well-established 0 Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie sure had impact

2 Dundee’s own Be Charlotte Scots artist Jim Lambie had created a gorgeous set of backdrop visuals, while the evening ended with a stunning lightshow by Dundee-based creative agencies Biome Collective and Agency of None protected on to the V&A itself, with a sublime club soundtrack – mixing in tracks by the Communards, Eurythmics and Simple Minds – from Edinburghraised DJ and designer Clair “Éclair Fifi” Stirling.

For Saturday’s far more lowkey, family-based afternoon session (with interactive events from Beano Studios and Abertay University), the musical focus was on Dundee itself, including the soulful dream-pop of St Martiins; Andrew Wasylyk’s elegant, baroque songwriting; sometime View frontman Kyle Falconer’s more downhome solo set; and Be Charlotte once more. The afternoon – and the weekend’s entertainment – ended with a poignant set from Gary Clark, former frontman of Dundonian group Danny Wilson, who paid respect to son of the city Michael Marra and closed with his old band’s Mary’s Prayer, backed by community choir Sistema.

DAVID POLLOCK