HW: Bristol

[Ian Abrahams]

Compared to Walthamstow last year, a pretty civilised 8am start off from Cornwall to Bristol for Stu & myself for yesterday's gig, giving us time to handle the Bank Holiday traffic (surpisingly there wasn't any) and do a bit of shopping.

Gosh, Bristol has gone downhill badly - though the Waterfront area has come on nicely and the Cary Grant statue would have impressed the wife! Quick pop around Forbidden Planet and Virgin Records, spot of lunch and then it's off up to Alan Linsley's home to hook up with him and Alan Taylor to chew the fat about all things Hawk related. A really nice afternoon, enjoyed it a lot.

Check into our hotel and then on to The Hatchet pub to meet up again with the two Alans, and AL's better half - and Rob Dreamworker as well. Good news, they serve Courage Best. Bad new - but no food. Shades of Walthamstow!

Still, over to another establishment - Good News, they do London Pride and additional good news: Food. A couple of beers and a veggie burger later and it's off to the Academy...

Hmmm, University of Errors - don't think much of them, to be honest. Pretty raw and uncoordinated - not impressed much. Spot Jill Stobridge and mean to say "hello" but loose sight of her again .. a pity, would have liked to have said Hi! Do get a chance to have a chat with Colin Allen though, which was good. 

Rest of the gang are off down the front for Hawkwind - we're getting too old for all that and take strategic place near the bar. AL brave enough to leave Kerren in our capable hands!!

Hawkwind are on ... no Keith Kniveton this time (big shame, that - I keep missing the gigs he plays at) but the rest of the band on good form. Time Captives excellent - I think Arthur Brown has gelled into the Hawkwind format much better this tour and I don't see the odd lyric or line reversal as particularly a problem, sort of adds to the charm of the performance. Chronoglide Skyway - I just can't believe I'm at a gig where this is played!!! Could have been slightly better worked through, but this should stay in the set and by the autumn it'll be wonderful - enjoyed it a lot.

On that theme, the show has a lot more tone and texture than last winter's tour and is much better for it.

Steppenwolf is magical - for the critics of Arthur's rendition of this - you *don't* have to have everything interpreted Calvert's way! This was fresh, exciting...it don't get much better than this!

Out of the Shadows, pretty good ... best version is still the Bedrock TV show, though. Very much enjoyed the new material, and as for Where Are They Now? Well, if I couldn't believe they played Chronoglide this is going one further ... whoever came up with playing this one was inspired.

Shouldn't we have had Kadu Flyer for the 50th anniversary of the ascent of Everest???

Makes you wonder what they'll resurrect next ... what price "Time for Sale" (ouch!)???

Impressed with the lightshow, excellent dancer - Yeah, went to a great show with a super bunch of people - this is what its all about...

Kerren asks us afterwards where we put this in the scheme of our Hawkwind gigs experience - its pretty near the top! 

Ian
Current Reading: 
"Rip Tide" by Louise Cooper (2nd mention of Redruth in a Dr Who novel!)
Current Listening:
Look Out, Head Cleaner and Tea for the Hydra (Adrian Shaw)
Current Viewing:
Talons of Weng-Chiang