HW: Gig report, Oxford, Zodica

[langner timothy]

Hi

Hawkwind: live 8/11/97 OXford Zodica with insomlica supprting

That is what I knew the gig as the day before. My ticket said on it 29th
septemebr 1997 No. 3. I knew the tickets had to be out sometime so didn't
wait for Hawkwind to up date the site in septemeber.

So it was fianly there. I decided to go to the place to see what was going on.
First great news was that havry bainbridge was now on support. Bad news was
that I wasn't allowed into the sound check. For health and safty reasons?!! In
fact even realtives or friends and not allowed in at the Zodica. Tour bus was
there. look jut like the one on the front of my Albert King blues record. So
I went home to repair one of my tape recorders. decided not to work but I got
ti workign in the end but don't know what I did. I tried to rbing 2 machisn to
concerts so I didn't miss a note of the gig.

I only lvei 10mins away so went back again to hear the badn sounding checking
upstairs. Not that loud but I could hear it and my tape recorder picked
something up. It was a bit of an insturmental song which I think I reocnsiged
bu not sure. Waited around for 2hours incae any one came out. I think ricahrd
did but with his jumper on and ahving never seen the band in eprson before I
wondered if it was just someone who looked like him. Wasn't sure so didn't ask
for his autogrpah. Perpahs I should have, but I got it at Swindon any way. 2
big surcity men when going in and I was sure they would check me and find the
tapes but they didn't.

The lcub isself can't hold more than 400-500 nd is small. the stage itself is
more for DJs than bands. with the back almsot being at the front. crum was one
sdie of ricahrd and dave the other with the rest in front. No dancers tonight
and the ligths were on + 2 lsaers showing 2 verisons of the smae imege on the
back. Stobes adn smoke. At swindon I soon saw the lases I ahd seen on videos.
seud aobut 3 to create bigger pattrsn but probably no room at Oxford.

Havry came on. Started with Coded langues which was good but I didn't like the
drumming pattern. He then did some speaking thing followed by some soft music.
sort of thing Alan davy might play. I really liked that. Most of the time he
was putting dat tapes in and changing bottons but he did play the keyboards
and do some great vocals. Hasn't his hair got gray? Last vidoe I have of hm
was in 1990. Also did something he called change but it incroapted mutation
zone just a bit longer. Did dream work before that and others which I don't
know titles of. But the best one was the soft one IMHO. IT's jsut ashame he
didn't paly with hawkwind on the tour at Swindon. Some bloke said 'it was not
possible on this tour but hopefuly in the future' I've got it on tpae
somewhere. stupid quote. Hawkwind never stoped ajmming beause havry plaeyd
with them so I'm sure he could ajmm along but no it was not to be. May be he
will play with them in the future. But what hawkwidn need is aconvention
simalr to the 85 one where they get huw, Nik, alan and garvry and if possible
simon hosue and any other sle around. Steve Sindalls wirtes for time out so
could probabyl fins him easily. And they should all do solo bits nad stuf over
2 days followed by a hugh monster jam. Oh and invet crumn and razzi to bring
up the numbers. Crum is good and razzi might not spoil the songs.

Next hawkwind came on. And they did just that. Dave saying hello and then the
short intro started for a great version of wheels. Well actualy Swindon one
was better but this wasn't bad. I actulay like this song and can't fualt
captina razzi in it either. I'm currently listening to warriors. Now that was
good but the echo on the voice was better at Swindon but still more keyboards
than on the manchsetr and moorecombe ones they put on the net.

As for the mixing. Well I heard the bass the drums, the guitar solos. In fact
I heard it all fine. Whatever the problmes they had must have been sorted out.
Being a club I think they tunred the bass drum up becuase it was quite loud
and the wooden floor was shaking to it as everyone in danced. Althouhg it
didn't sound so loud on the tapes at the gig it remained he of the dance
records and I hate dance records. So I got a bit put off my that.

Assault and battery was good. great bass at the start and jet it was even
louder at Swindon. Of course golden void was good. Longer intro before dave
sung as he fiddled with his keybaord settings.

So then it was that hassan I shaba which was good. Ron pointed out that it
looked a bit hot. Then we got a version of sapce is their (plastine). Great
song .... generaly!!! but not here and certianly not with captian razzi.
Ruined it. In fact at the end of it when they great keybaord pattern started
up again I couldn't hear it very well. The tune they sing or half sing over it
isn't that bad but I like the song without it. But the backing noises which
dave did was good. Sort of wyhing sound. I actualy think that the middle bit
of Hassan I shaba should be played and then the band should go back into sapce
si their (palstine) then end the song. It's abit sort of just put in their and
not on it's own like it use to be in the 70s.

Did that fansty song. Is okay but I don't like the drumming pattern which is
in it. It's a drum manchine but they CAN produce noises I like. At least
ricahrd did some good bongo drumming in space is their but he then cut in the
bass durm which was turned up loud and the song started to sound to techno
dancy for me.

So then we got alchmey which was good. I like this one. Most band if they
count a song in do it every night but not hawkwind. No tonight they dicded
after hitting the hit hat and sutff to count and then do the gutiar solo bit
before getting heavy. Worked very well but they didn't do it at Swindon or any
other gigs I've heard. So then we had love in sapce which I like and think
Captain razzi does fine with his one. Good song nice keybaords on it. So then
it was one song which can't be classed as rubbish .... Aerospace age infrno.
Reminds me of pxr5 or peprahs I should say PXR 5 reminds me of this song. That
ended and after a short gap we got sonic attack. The last version for that
song I heard had sonic attack starting towards end of aerospace age and at
Swindon they ended areo (Differently to oxford) and the keybaords stayed on
and ron started. So sonic attack was okay. Your 90s verison based on 70s
version and I find the best versions were from the 80s. The hammersmith gig
broadcast on raido 1 in 1988 was the best version I've heard.

After that we got blue skin which rocks. Then brainstorm which was good
without the narartion (with camrea that could lie backing) I don't like this.
I hate the backing it ruins bainstorm. brainstorm should be one compelte song
sounds better but the 2 halfs were good. Thw Swindon version was different to
the oxford one had a bass solo bit. Not a technical one just ron on his own.

Next it was time for my favourit song. Raptiod visiosn to start the encore but
no chance. All conerts must end at 10pm because their's a dance club
afterwards from 11pm so they missed it out and staretd with star flight. Ron
intorudced Mr Dibbs(?) on bass from space head. Have some album out or
something. Poitned out that the new album cover for hawwind was crass and had
nothing to do with them. Starflihgt was intersting, for half of the mixng
people forgot to add the effects for their vocals. Next ricahrd drumed into
ejection. Great song with great middle. altough I really love the
speaking by ron it. I did perfer the vserion at manchester with just backing
but still good any way and nothing like sapce is their which got totaly
ruined. Then there was a long feedback bit as Mr Dibbs handed back ron his
bass and the the dumrs crashed into song of the germlin. This is one is nice.
Any one else aplyed it to their mum or granny or some like that. My mum said
it was awful but then she does lsitne to jim reves and nat king cole. Ron was
in a lower key than I had heard perviosuly but that didn't matter it. IT was
all over.

I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought but thats due to an over loud bass drum
but listening back to the tapes of the show I enjoyed it more and certainly
enjoyed Swindon.


Which is coming up next (don't worry I'll make it a lot shorter beuase
although the songs don't sound the same a lot was simlar.)

Timmy Langner
One happy hawkwind fan having finaly seen them!