June 20th 1986 saw Hawkwind headlining a show at the Bristol Custom Bike Show, which also featured several other bands. The concert has never been issued before, though a couple of songs appeared on an album released the following year. The show has now been mixed from the original master tapes and, for the first time, the entire show is available, including several tracks never previously issued. Where do they hide these master tapes and how many more have they got hidden away?
Hawkwind’s rep as a ‘live’ band is well deserved, as it’s onstage where the band comes into its own. Their studio albums are sometimes uneven, despite the occasional standout track, but it’s ‘live’ where what they’re all about becomes apparent, with good usage of ambient synthscapes, cosmic riffs and a light show which can dazzle the senses. A Hawkwind gig is also a continuous experience .. there are no between-songs explanations or entreaties to clap along, rather we get electronic interludes and the occasional sci-fi narration which either enhances or leads into the next song.
This gig was recorded when Huw Lloyd-Langton was still in the band, and his presence gives Hawkwind a much rockier edge, particularly on classic tracks like ‘Brainstorm’ and ‘Master Of The Universe’. There were other personnel no longer in the band by this time whose absence was noticeable .. Nik Turner had left the year before, so no more wailing saxes, and lyricist/vocalist Robert Calvert had also long gone, with vocals now being shared out amongst the band.
From opening number ‘Magnu’, which immediately flows into ‘Angels Of Death’, the songs are played at a slightly faster tempo than on the studio versions .. this was Hawkwind coming out with all guns blazing and battering the audience with a solid wall of sound. Lloyd-Langton leaves his imprint right across the album with some swirling and slashing guitar sounds, with certain songs being performed almost in a hard rock style.
There are stoked-up performances right through this album .. including a stonking ‘Needle Gun’ and solid versions of ‘Assault & Battery’ and ‘Waiting For Tomorrow’. ‘Utopia’, which the band still perform under the title ‘Arrival In Utopia’, begins with a recitation of the title before Lloyd-Langton stretches out on guitar. Instrumental ‘Dreamworker/Dust Of Time’ closes the set before they encore with the mid-east tinged ‘Assassins For Allah’, and a ‘Silver Machine’ that’s almost unrecognisable in places concludes the show.
Hawkwind played a hard rocking gig at the Bike Show with fine playing from all personnel. At this time, they also had one of their strongest line-ups for some while, and it’s a pity Huw Lloyd-Langton left the band soon afterwards.
