HW : An Open Letter About Xmas Gig

[Eli Friedman]

        This is for Dave and Kris, and everybody in Hawkwind, and Everybody
who was at the Xmas gig, and everybody on the list who wasn't,
        I've been home in New York a few days now since I returned from
Europe, but its the first chance I've had to put something down as a post
about the Astoria Xmas gig.
Of course when you fly 3,000 miles for a gig to spend 2 days in London to
spend a day with Hawkwind your expectations are pretty high. I will say I was
not disappointed. It was just fantastic from sound check start to after party
end. I wished I could have gone on to the hotel after-after party,  but my
crazy hit and run schedule in London didn't really allow for me to stay up
all night. And really, I'd already had a totally amazing 11 hrs already.
        For those who weren't there: Hawkwind passport holders were allowed
early access to the gig for a sound check. There was some confusion outside
the venue because so many people were already lining up for the 4 O clock gig
by 3 0 clock, that it took most of the passport holders a little bit of a
skirmish to get through the line of ticket holders to get in. My wife, Paula,
and I got in after a bit and were instantly treated to a Hawkwind warm up set
already in progress. With only the passport holders filling the front of the
large theater there was already magic in the air as the band did a preshow
run through of some numbers they'd perfrom more fully later.
        As the sound check wound down, Huw LLyod Langton strolled onstage and
Dave Brock introduced him to the crowd, and Huw took off and did a wonderful,
although brief set, solo acoustic. I thought Huw was fantastic. As an
American I've never had an opportunity to see him play live like that. He did
"Don't Like Nothing", and "Solitary Mind Games", and jammed out for a bit
with Richard Chadwick providing some cool hand drum percussion back-up for a
bit of it.
        After Huw's set came Monochronic, who were a techno duo. I took the
opportunity to check out the scene in the lobby and ran right into Hawkwind
heaven. As I headed into the lobby I bumped right into Mr. Brock in the midst
of the throng. Dave, thank you so much for taking the time to stop and say
hello. Believe me, it was very special for me, as I'm sure it was for the
several dozen people who got you to autograph all sorts of cool Hawkind
collectibles for them over the course of the next fifteen minutes hanging out
there in the Hawkfan thronged upper lobby area. I wished I could have done
more than croak in response. As I explained to everyone I'd encountered all
night, I'd somehow managed to lose my voice on the flight over, and arrived
in England sounding like Harvey Fierstein with strep throat or something.
That's why I was being relatively quiet all evening.
        But it was the ultimate Hawkfan scene in the lobby, with Dave Brock
doing autographs. Richard Chadwick came through and it was great to say hi to
him too. I understand other band members came through to say hi to the fans
at various points.
It was fantastic to hang with fellow fans and meet some new friends in the
party atmosphere. Cheers and greetings to Bernhard, Jez, Gary and Anna (we
Love you), Arin Komins (thanks for coming up and saying hi, I wish I had a
voice to say hi back with. Seriouly Arin, even though I didn't make it to the
hotel I totally salute your organizational  skills in putting together those
accomadations and party. You are very cool.) As I checked out the fans in
attendance, I had to think what a credit to the inspirational power of the
band it is to have fans as cools as talented graphic artist Kevin Sommers,
who flew in from Arizona, or Bob Jacobs, who IMHO is America's pre-eminent
light show wizard coming all the way from the Left Coast of America, it
speaks volumes about the power of the band to provide a  creative beacon for
the artists. Well, you know. It was also a pleasure to meet John and Maureen
Davey of the Michael Moorcock fan association who were very nice.
        Next up were Spacehead, and for my money Mr. Dibs and crew rocked.
I've been listening to their 3 CD's for a while, and had the new EP so I'm
familiar with their stuff, and it was a treat to hear it blasted out live.
I'd never had the chance to see them live before. I thought this line-up was
extra cool, with Dr. Hasbeens guitarist Martyn and synth-ace Keith Kniveton
augmenting the sound. I think the newest stuff sounded best, and also loved
"AeroSpaceAge Inferno".
        After that we were treated to Simon House's Spiral Realms doing a set
of Spiral Realms and old Hawkind instrumentals. I'm not certain if Simon's
accompanist was actually playing keyboards or starting tapes or both, but it
was lovely to hear Simon's gorgeous violin playing "Spiral Galaxy" ,
"Chronoglide Skyway", and some melodies from the Spiral Realms CD's. Simon
still has that floaty, spacey sound that has added its special flavor to so
many great recordings in the past.
        Finally, it was up to Tim Blake to countdown the hour before
Hawkflight. He did a mix of old and new from the "Tide of the Century" CD in
a set that seemed similar to me to the one I'd seen in Brixton two months
earlier after the Hawkestra set. I do think Tim's newest material is a return
to form for him, so I didn't mind seeing it all reprised.
        The Hawkwind set totally delivered the good for me from beginning to
end in a way that went even beyond the fantastic Hawkestra event. The set
list was a fantasy made real for this fan. And there were so many highlights.
A blinding Levitation led into Hippie, which featured Ron Tree's incantaion
like vocal delivery. He's great. Space Is Deep. Space Is Deep. Space Is Deep.
Oh MY!! Michael Moorcock's voice and broken up video image coming though from
the depths of the infinities of time twice during the set.     The energy on
Flying Doctor was just tremendous. Wow!  Lighthouse beaming us into the
depths of the intergalactic void. Motorway City was just a blazing rendition.
Hurry On Sundown even more rocking than at Brixton.  Ron Tree's vocals on
Spirit of the Age were just chilling. My spine tingled, the real shit. The
core of the band for the night consisted of Dave Brock playing loads of
guitar, as well as synths-keyboards, with Simon House on violin for the bulk
of the set, Richard Chadwick assuming sole drum and percussive
responsibilities like the God of time that he is, Alan Davey the returning
champion on bass and added energy (welcome back), Harvey Bainbridge on
keyboards and vocals on Free Fall, which was great. Keith Kniveton played
synthesizers up front in a big hat. (He's the alter ego of Captain Black of
Starfields, and as I found out later at the after party is the sweetest guy
in the world. Ditto for his wife who ran immigration at the gig. If you're
on this list and you don't have the Starfields CD, you want it now, badly.
It's got all the elements that we love in Hawkwind. Trust me. Get it.
Starfields.) Also Jerry Richards played lead guitar for major portions of the
set. And Tim Blake sat in for a bit on some of the tunes. And somewhere in
there I even got to see "Damage of Life" played live. Or did I dream that. Or
all of it. I even loved Rizz popping out at the end to induce us to "smoke
the hashish" during Hassan I Sahba. He's another spice in the Hawkwind stew.
Speaking of stew...."Star Cannibal" live someday? Well Dave? After this gig
and Brixton I can believe that anything can happen now can't I?
        After this....a bunch of us lucky dogs who traveled over many waters,
won artistic contests, dressed up in festive or silly costumes, or helped out
promoting the show were given passes to an afer show party for about 100 with
the band at a club a few streets from the Astoria. Everyone there was on a
total Hawkwind after show glow high, and wouldn't have been anywhere else in
the world at that moment. All of the band members hung out, signed stuff,
posed for pictures, smiled, drank, smiled more, and ultimately shared a
delicious Hawkwind logo shaped Holiday fruit cake with the band and the fans.
I was so happy to be able to have a bit of a chance to say hi and thanks to
Dave and Kris,  Simon House, Harvey Bainbridge, Jerry Richards, Richard Chadwi
ck, Ron Tree, Huw Lloyd Langton (what a wonderful guy, we had such a nice
chat for a first meeting), Keith Kniveton (same deal, what a nice guy), Alan
Davey, and Tim Blake. What a fantastic band to throw this special do just for
the fans. You guys are my heroes. Do you know how it feels to be invited to a
party by ones heroes. It's like Hawkwind for Cristmas folks, and it don't get
better than that. In the end as the party was winding down I had to leave to
meet my ride and got to say a quick goodnight to almost everybody. At the end
i never found Dave and Kris to say goodnight, and thanks, and this is the
stuff that dreams are made of. So I'll say it now. And hopefully I'll say it
again in March in Croyden.
        One last thing...and as Jimi used to say "I'm sorry to take up all
your sweet time..", but I wanted to say hi to some list brothers and sisters
who I got to see, nod at, wave to, but not talk to due to croaking
voice...Jill S., Jez Dacombe, Julie and Merrick French (I never got to say
hi, but you gave me directions to the after party outside the Astoria), I'll
talk to you all later. Consider yourselves lucky. Bernhard, Kevin, and Gary
and Anna got to hear me croak.
        Thanks everybody. Thanks Dave and Kris. Thanks Hawkind. Happy New
Centruy. Its 2001. ""We're living in the future"" WE LOVE YOU  Eli and Paula
Friedman