Saturday, 31 August 2013

Gig review: HAWKWIND, Shepherd’s Bush Empire, London, 24 August 2013


A very full and enthusiastic crowd tonight, possibly larger than usual as the band are playing the whole of their classic ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ album, in sequence and recently re-issued on Cherry Red Records.
I have seen the band twice previously, at a storming gig at Keele University back in the late 1980’s, and a couple of years ago at Guilfest where they were not so impressive. Happy to report to tonight quite possibly the best gig yet I have seen by them.
Led by Dave Brock, the line-up includes the returning Dead Fred (Hawkwind band members past & present have great stage names it has to be said) on keyboards/violin/vocals who was last in the band back in the mid-80’s and Tim Blake on theremin is quite hypnotising to watch. The only other time I have seen this instrument used live is by John Otway.
Starting off with ‘The Awakening’ which was followed by ‘Master Of The Universe’, ‘Steppenwolf’ and ‘The Hills Have Ears’, before the main reason for tonight’s gig the full performance of ‘Warrior On The Edge Of Time’ got underway.
Hawkwind certainly know how to put on a show, from the undoubted musical prowess of the band through to the spectacular visual light and picture show going on at the back of the band.
Plus you have two dancers doing some bizarre am dram at the front of the stage! The ‘Master Of The Universe’ album is a real fantasy fiction meets space rock treat, aided by the lyrical input of SF/fantasy author Michael Moorcock (do read his Elric novels well worth your time).
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1 comment:

  1. stonedwolf29 October 2013 at 13:24

    It's the "Warrior on the Edge of Time" album. not "Master of the Universe", though that album does exist as "Masters of the Universe", but that's just a 1977 compilation, though the track "Master of the Universe" came out on their second album, X in Search of Space, released in 1971.

    As for Elric, though he is an Eternal Champion that "Warrior on the Edge of Time" is based on, they also did an Elric- focused album, "Chronicle of the Black Sword" in 1985. If you like Elric it's well worth a shot of!

    Hawknerd signing off...

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