HAWKWIND | LIVE REVIEW
Tramshed, Cardiff, Thurs 14 Apr
The space rockers are on the road again, this time to celebrate the release of their latest studio album The Machine Stops. The band that has seen more line-up changes than Fleetwood Mac can be hit or miss in concert, so seeing them perform live is always an act of faith.
The Tramshed is a pretty cool music venue, suitable for the Hawkwind experience, but the gig got off to a slow start with All Hail The Machine – a bleeping number with a voiceover reminiscent of the Michael Moorcock era – and an unchanging backdrop of a spaceman. The crowd became restless. Fans broke off into little chatty groups. There was confusion – where was the trademark baseline? Twenty minutes later it arrived with an explosion of lights; the machine had warmed up and was raring to go. But not for long. Soon it was back to the bleeps and crowd chatter. And this was the pattern for the first half of the set.
A few times the audience cheered and clapped for what seemed to be the start of a familiar song but hopes were dashed when it became clear the riffs had been recycled. I’m sure some people gave up and went home. Yet intermittently, there were flashes of brilliance. The present line-up of Tim Blake, Mr Dibs, Richard Chadwick, Niall Hone and founder member Dave Brock really works and as the night progressed the music took on a life of its own and the light show became an impressive spectacle. In the second half of the two-hour set old hits Standing At The Edge and Shot Down In The Night, which rose the roof, proved that the machine was well and truly oiled. The crowd-pleasing anthemic You’d Better Believe It ended the evening on a satisfying note.
Hawkwind are serious musicians but they don’t take themselves seriously – and they should. This type of show deserves a larger venue, seated so the audience can bask in the sound and absorb the quieter moments. The little chatty groups at the Tramshed became annoying after a while. And there wasn’t a silver machine in sight.
words LYNDA NASH photos LIZ AIKEN
