HW @ Cambridge (was Re: Northampton gig)

[Carl Edlund Anderson]

Adding a few notes from Cambridge to what on 25/10/2006 11:52, Wright, 
Mike wrote:
> Right Stuff
> Psychedelic Warlords
> Orgone Accumulator, different to the last time I heard it, with a slow
> bit in the middle. I preferred the new tempo bit to the slow bit in the
> middle.

These were played at Cambridge, too.  I still quite like the current 
rendition of "Right Stufff"; a great way to get things going from the 
beginning.  I'm still not quite warming to "Psych Warlords", though it's 
nothing particularly about this version (which at least has the little 
"descarga with bass" towards the end); despite this being one of my 
absolute favorite HW songs on record, I've none of the later 
interpretations ever really levitated my spaceship.  Not sure why ....

Surely the middle slow bit in Orgone Accumulator is a few bars of "You 
Know You're Only Dreaming"?  Anyway, the whole of "OA" was played with 
superb aplomb by Alan; I definitely get the feeling he can play every 
bass figure from Doremi and Space Ritual inside out and upside down in 
his sleep with one hand tied behind his back.  I felt he was a bit let 
down by the mix, though, throughout much of the night

> Robot with Richard reading out the 3 laws and doing the Are Oh Bee Oh
> Tee bit.
> Paradox

I still quite like the new Paradox, too, with the tinkly piano bits.

> Poem (read by Dave)

If this was the same as done at Cambridge, it was the end of 
Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's dream":

If we shadows have offended,
Think but this, and all is mended,
That you have but slumber'd here
While these visions did appear.
And this weak and idle theme,
No more yielding but a dream,
Gentles, do not reprehend:
if you pardon, we will mend:
And, as I am an honest Puck,
If we have unearned luck
Now to 'scape the serpent's tongue,
We will make amends ere long;
Else the Puck a liar call;
So, good night unto you all.
Give me your hands, if we be friends,
And Robin shall restore amends.

Can add it to the lyrics archives, I suppose ;)

Sat a bit strangely in the _middle_ of the set, but hey ....

> Lord of Light (very fast and most excellent)

My only complaint from Cambridge is that it was too short!  I've heard 
somewhat lackluster modern versions of Lord of Light since it was 
revived in the 90s, and this wasn't one of them!  Righteous.

> Instrumental with Jez Hugget sax in it
> Greenback Massacre

Though it's good to see something looking in from the new album, I'm not 
sure "Greenback" is my favorite Alan song from the last 10 years (stuff 
from his Captured Rotation album -- along with Sputnik Stan! -- remain 
my favorite recent output of his).  From the new album, I might have 
picked .... "Angela Android", actually, and paired it up with "Robot" :)

> Infinity (lovely to hear)

Definitely!  And I couldn't place it at first, either -- I needed Mr. 
Jarrett to remind me that it was originally on PXR5 (my copy languishes 
in my parents' garage on the other side of the Atlantic.

> Hassan

I always enjoy Hassan (heck, I've recorded my own cover version), though 
after all these years I've still really been into the "Space is Their 
Palestine" bit in the middle.  I miss that little climbing riff that 
carries over to the "It is written!" part on the original, and which I 
think is nicely dramatic.  Still, you can't goo too far wrong with 
"Hassan I Sabha"!

> Encore: buggered if I can remember the first one, but they finished with
> Motorhead, the sound of Alan's bass in the intro was awe inspiring.

If it was the same first encore as at Cambridge, it was "Spirit of the 
Age", which was good fun (though it would have fit nicely with either 
"Robot" or "Angela Android", too ;)

And Motorhead was *way* cool to hear.  After all, it's not like Lemmy & 
Co. are likely to perform it!

Though my surprise of the night in many ways was "Images", not listed 
above so perhaps it wasn't at Northhampton.  Sung by Richard, whose 
voice cracked a bit here and there, but less as he started getting more 
into it I think.  Otherwise, a bloody good version played with great energy.

Over all ... great show!  I don't know if it was the _best_ I've seen 
the band, but they were very solid and on good form.  I really can't 
level much in the way of complaints about Dave's guitar that I usually 
have in the past.  Dave was very much out in front, playing guitar 
throughout, and entirely audible -- the way it should be :)  Richard was 
holding it all together as always, Alan was playing immaculately as if 
he was born for it (presumably so), though a bit low in the mix 
sometimes IMO (presumably not his fault, if it was more than my 
perception).  Jason seems to be acquitting himself well; it's nice that 
there's a dedicated keyboard/synth player doing things -- there were 
some bits that one might have thought were preprogrammed except I could 
see Jason over to one side bouncing his handing around with great 
concentration (whilst Dave lounged in his chair and Alan chugged bottled 
water).  There were, to be sure, preprogrammed bits that I must rail 
against as a matter of principle, but to be fair they seemed at least, 
less prominent than they have at some points in the past.

I would buy a recording of the show, or a "best of" tour album, in a 
heartbeat! :)

Cheers,
Carl

-- 
Carl Edlund Anderson
mailto:cea at carlaz.com
http://www.carlaz.com/