HAWKWIND
LONDON FORUM - 18/12/10
Spaceship Hawkwind was only travelling from Oxford to London so I knew there would be no problems with a bit of snow stopping the band materialising. By the time I got to the venue I had missed opening band The Jokers and having heard them before the words ‘accidently on purpose’ spring to mind. Hawkwind have not really been about the support band for years and as someone mentioned gone are the days we had the likes of Ozric Tentacles opening. Up before the main event were the Hot Steppers helmed by one of the large group of friends and relations Captain Rizz. The Captain has done his bit in Hawkwind in the past and here his band were world, dub and reggae orientated with a female singer and plenty of shaking bass behind them. This was a nice chillaxed support band although it would have been far better suited to a sunny festival afternoon with a few rizlas folded around some nice green herb. The band kept us entertained for half an hour, nothing more nothing less. I was reminded slightly of Back To The Planet for a second and wish it had been them here but you can’t have it all and anyway it was all about the main event this evening.
I have seen Hawkwind 25times at least from all nighters to acid heavy all dayers, on the end of piers and from a milk float generator at a secret free festival. The last time was their Xmas show a couple of years ago at the now demolished Astoria and I was not terribly impressed although later felt guilty as I heard they were suffering with terrible flu. New album ‘Blood Of The Earth’ had not blown me away and I was hoping not to put the boot in again tonight.
After a spoken word oration all my doubts vanished as spaceship Hawkwind crash landed into earth picked us up with ‘You Shouldn’t do That’ and took us into orbit. Focusing on the stage there was a big backdrop but what I always refered to as the pinball consoles were missing, retired maybe. Captain Brock was a bit more visible behind his keyboard get up and was also busy with guitar and vocals, very much in the command seat. There was a massive projector beaming us psychedelic imagery, Mr Dibs was acting as much in front as anyone with bass and occasional vocals and was sporting a military hard hat with Wikileaks written on it as though he was about to march into war. We had Tim Blake, barking as ever and all in white, occasionally playing his keytar and darting round the stage and then we had violin (was that Simon House) and also Nial Hone and Richard Chadwick. If that was not enough we also had the visitors!
At key points these strange beings were beamed onto stage, some in silver latex suits with strange head gear, maybe keeping them in touch with their mother ship, at others they were huge stalking overlords towering over us . Did we panic to these near ‘Sonic Attacks’ well nearly and in the photo pit I would have probably been first up for the anal probe, believe you me I shudder at the thought as much as you at the image.
Of course one cannot forget the songs which were a mixture of old and new and with 41 years of history behind them it must have been difficult playing stuff from the current album and keeping the old guard happy. Luckily they succeeded as the new songs like ‘Prometheus’ gave us chilled out breathing space and ‘Spirit Of The Age’ bridged both gaps having been updated anyway. I really enjoyed ‘Robot’ and indeed it is still going round in my head, once it mechanically gets in, it does not let go. Highlight of the night is without a shadow of doubt a blazing, storming in the face both visually and aurally overloading ‘Angel Of Death, it reminded me why, despite a few down points, there is no way one should ever completely turn their back on these mighty space lords. Unfortunately I simply could not get into ‘Tide Of The Century after this, too reflective and widdly for me, reminding a bit of The Police if anything. That aside I shouldn’t moan really and we did get a brilliant sing along with ‘Psi-Power’ and ‘You Better Believe’ it as the encore.
Even if there is no way that Xmas can be stopped every year it does have its good points and one is the yearly Hawkwind show, I would imagine the band already have next years pencilled in but first they are warming their cockles playing Australia, lets hope there is plenty of life in the old dogs yet, they were very much on form tonight.
Review and photos by Pete Woods
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