Hawkwind review

[lnr]

OK so why, given I don't actually know Hawkwind at all, was I at a Hawkwind gig in the first place? Simply because my friends were going and it seemed like a giggle, especially as Richard seems to be a fan. Unfortunately Richard was too ill to join us in the end though, which was a shame. So I kind of wandered along with little idea of what to expect. I did have fun though. The support band were called Spacehead and August described them as Hawkwind-wannabees. Of course I couldn't judge this for myself until later but I think he was right. They weren't very good but they were very loud, and actually just losing myself in loud noise, moving along to the beat watching the swirly lights on the wall and being alone in my head for a bit was just what I needed.

As for Hawkwind themselves, well they were definitely a giggle. I'm not sure they're quite really my cup of tea, though I really don't think I can put a finger on why. It was good to just jump up and down and dance though. Some spectacularly daft outfits were involved, and some of the tracks were very silly. For the most part I couldn't make out words though and just enjoyed the noise. Perhaps someone who actually knows them could do a better review.

Comments

[hoiho.livejournal.com]

Perhaps someone who actually knows them could do a better review.

Not really; Hawkwind are a strange band (in so may ways), who are different every time you see them, with a diferent line up (sometimes almost entirely different), and a huge repertoire of tunes. I recognised 7x7, Silver Machine (of course), Spirit of the Age, and a few others whose names I can't remember. They were in riffolla mode, so there weren't the long stretches of blippy beepy stuff, as there is when Tim Blake's on board. And no wild guitar soloing as there is when Huw Llloyd Langdon's on board. Very much Heads Down No-Nonsense Intergalactic Boogie.

And I haven't seen such an ugly crowd, covered in so much black leather, since the last time I saw Motorhead.

[ghoti.livejournal.com]

That line up seems pretty much stable now; although that's probably just
my impressions; I'm just glad to see Simon back with them.

A full setlist, including the two new tracks, can be found in my review
here
(http://www.livejournal.com/users/ghoti/28013.html#cutid1)