HW: Hawkwind at Exeter

[Jill Strobridge]

Well the best decision I made that evening was not to wait for a drink 
before the show but to go straight in and bag a place at the back of the 
hall.  Ideal!   Far enough back that the balcony protected me from the worst 
of the high-pitched fuzz - well away from the heat of the centre of the hall 
and in a corner where I could move around.   From that spot I thought the 
mix was excellent - the flute came across well, the guitar sounds wove 
around each other, the vocals were clear, and the drums carried the beat so 
fluently I forgot to listen for them.

But to begin at the beginning - the journey down - which was kind of wierd. 
Scotland is totally non-smoking now and trains have been non-smoking for 
years but on the one down to London at just about Stevenage a strangely 
recognisable smell drifted its way through the airconditioning.    It was so 
out of context that I didn't pay it much attention except to register its 
existence until the train stopped at the station and two policemen got on. 
"That's an interesting smell" one said to the other as they walked passed my 
seat "yes" said the other "and I think I know where it's coming from".   And 
they passed down the carriage - vanished through the doors at the end - then 
the train moved off - and absolutely nothing else happened!!  I found an 
excuse to lurk around the King's Cross platform exit (ok - I'd booked a 
hotel in London but had forgotten to bring the address of the place with me 
and had to phone it to find out where it was!) but apart from a tight 
cluster of police in bright dayglo jackets nothing untoward seemed to be 
happening so - I dunno - maybe I was just day dreaming!

Anyhow made it to Exeter - found a nice pub (once frequented by Sir Francis 
Drake it says) that served decent food but in typical Devon fashion couldn't 
decide exactly who was actually doing the serving.   "Can't eat down 'ere 
luv - but go opstairs and ye'll get a meal and a nice place to sit" "Dunno 
why they told you to come opstairs we're nort open yet - ye'll get some food 
downstairs" "What do you mean they say they're not open yet.  They should 
be - I'll go an sort them out - just you wait here".    No - please - all I 
want is a quiet corner + some food + some of your excellent Real Ale.  No 
fuss please!!  Dearie me.   But the food was good and the table was fine and 
I was greeted by Rob Dreamworker who was also there - which was nice

And then when I reached the hall there was Kris and Marie and everyone 
gathered by the door and I had a thoroughly enjoyable chat with them 
catching up with news and discussing Hawkwind t-shirt fashions - but it was 
much too short 'cos I'd left it a bit late and suddenly there was only ten 
minutes to go!   Everyone suddenly scattered and I found my niche and 
settled in with time to admire the stage.    It's a simple but well-dressed 
stage - tall androids flank either side and long silver wings extend across 
the top - I like those wings there's a definite air of distinction about 
them.

Rob's done a set list and Criz has relevant track comments on the Other List 
(this divide is a bit like the House of Commons / House of Lords!) but Dibbs 
immediately hit the right tone and atmosphere with Abducted - very clear 
vocals and with the band diving straight into "The Right Stuff" backed by 
early footage of jet aircraft and their pilots the set started immediately 
with a fast, well balanced, solid heavy driving sound.    It's a sound I 
think that will be excellent in the open air at a Festival - forceful, 
powerful, fast and creatiing, I thought, a very well structured set.   Even 
the quieter tracks have something intense about them and I thought this was 
excellent - no-one had a chance to lose attention or drift away and start 
chattering to the person next door - each track demanded your full 
attention - maybe not always to dance to but certainly to listen.  As an 
indoors gig though it was VERY VERY LOUD with loads of fizz up the high end. 
The only unintegrated bit was an odd interlude in the middle of The Right 
Stuff which didn't seem to fit too well but things picked up again as the 
track went along - it was, for me, the only unstructured moment.

Jez Hugget played a melodic flute overlay during Sword of the East - perhaps 
more Moody Blues than ethereal - but the sound came through beautifully 
while Greenback Massacre (which I confess is not musically my favourite) was 
out and out metal rock - but it reminds me just how versatile Hawkwind are! 
Very efficient, very powerful - other bands get old and plod pedantically 
along - by contrast Hawkwind craft and create a track of ripping intensity 
and play it so efficiently you wonder if they have left all thought of space 
rock behind them for ever.

But they haven't.  7x7 slows it down again - cleverly starting with a steady 
chunky beat to bring the previous track into this one matching the words 
match perfectly to the rhythm but merge into a more fluid elegant sound as 
the track progresses.  This is much more relaxing and drifts into Out Here 
We Are with lots of saxophone.    Angela Android keeps the harder rhythm 
going and contains some very sharp almost vicious knife-edged guitar 
sounds - very uncomfortable in an enclosed environment but probably very 
effective in an open festival arena.     Love in Space was elegant - as it 
always is - smooth and nicely extended while Lord of Light was accompanied 
by some stunningly beautiful galaxy images and Paradox was just fantastic - 
I dunno why - and maybe I shouldn't admit it! - but it almost moves me to 
tears whenever I hear it and along with Golden Void has to get my vote for 
track of the 20th century!

Anyhow - at this point I should mention that there were dancers on stage. 
Being where I was I saw little of them but during Spirit of the Age I was 
aware that she was wearing a truly impressive set of wings - though I'm not 
entirely sure why.    Psi Power kept the rhythm moving steadily along as 
well as being stunningly well organised, rhythmic and controlled - it 
actually got me dancing around nicely - the first track to do so! 
Assassins on the other hand has matured into something quite dark and 
sinister - admirably contemporary it seems judging by the news.   The 
Arabian melody and beat is still there but it's a hard, fierce, angry almost 
regimented beat now - you can almost imagine armies marching out to it - it 
forms a menacing interlude in the middle of the track but integrates well - 
however the wierd thing was that in the midst of all this I got a call on my 
mobile - Mike Holmes up in Edinburgh was inviting me to the pub for a 
drink!!   Sorry Mike -couldn't make it but I hope you were impressed by the 
live Hawkwind background! 8-)

Brainstorm and Upside Down integrate well - both are more or less in the 
same key so although the tempo slows there's no shifting around musically 
which makes the transition a really easy one to listen to and they merge 
nicely.   And that finished the set at 10.30.   Excellent.

The encore was Psychedelic Warlords and a thoroughly enjoyable Brainbox 
Pollution with thermal images of naked dancers then the band went off and 
came back again!  Hooray.  I don't know who was messing around with the 
keyboard/piano sound - but they were good!    Nice bit of classical that 
was - excellent stuff!   The chords steadily merged into something I 
recognised and slowly but surely Lighthouse was created - and what an 
excellently sung track it was.   Richard (I understand did this one) suited 
it perfectly and the accompanying images were some of the most beautiful 
I've seen - perhaps they've been around before and I've not noticed them 
properly but here was a drive through the galaxy starting with earth, 
zooming around past the planets and swooping low over their moons - almost 
grazing the surface before flying on again out into deep space and far out 
to the galaxies and beyond.   The instrument bit that finished off the track 
was, possibly I felt, still not fully developed and didn't seem to go 
anywhere.   But when it does.  Wow.   It was such a good end to the show.

I was very impressed.   I hope you all will be.
Good night and Thank you Hawkwind!
jill

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Jill Strobridge <jill.strobridge at blueyonder.co.uk>
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