Previously
6 April 2024
This is where we are nervous that Neil Bilkey’s much referenced and lauded itinerary is going to fall over due to train strikes… our journey from Newcastle to Edinburgh is cancelled and the thought of a three-hour coach trip fills at least one of us (well, me) with nuclear trepidation.
Good news! There’s rumours of a Cross Country service that is going to stop at Newcastle and journey up to Scotland. We wander down through the city, a fresh hope in our hearts, Edinburgh is on for us surely! The statue down near the railway station we take as a good omen. It’s called Levitation… Levitation… LEVITATION!
I mean, it’s not… but you take the coincidences when they come, right?
The train is busy, but not impossibly so. We get two aisle seats. I’m talking to a nice lady from the Highlands who is giving me top tourist tips for the Scotland holiday that Janet and I are planning for June. I look around and Neil has rounded-up one of our flock! It may well be the law that someone has to speak to you if you’re wearing a Hawkwind T-shirt. In June someone will accost me on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile as I’m wearing my Stories From Time And Space shirt and want to know what that long track on In Search Of Space was called that he and his mates always thought went: “chips in a bag, chips in a bag.” Err, never misheard it that way, but ‘You Shouldn’t Do That’. Ah yes. But on this train journey we’ve turned up someone whose name we know from Facebook: Jim Knight. “I’m the one with the profile picture of a glass Dalek,” says Jim. The Hawkwind/Doctor Who Venn Diagram is at work again. We nod in recognition and swap friends requests.
A happy journey ensues, pointing out landmarks as England turns into Scotland, swapping music recommendations: Solitary Transmissions by Brown Spirits, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, Incubus Lovechild. We’ve not heard the new Hawkwind LP yet, but there’s keen anticipation. Almost feels like Waverley Station, Edinburgh has arrived too soon.
At Waverley we part company with Jim, and meet another social media contact, the crime novelist Philip Gwynne Jones whose character, the voluntary British consul for Venice, Nathan Sutherland, in Phil’s Venetian novels, is so much a Hawkwind fan that the band are name-checked in every book. Phil and I had planned to have a beer together (or a Negroni or Spritz, in keeping with the drinks of choice of the Venetian novels) at Royal Albert Hall last year but Covid prevented our new Venice-dwelling friend’s attendance at that one.
Never been in Edinburgh before! Stepping out of Waverley… wow! It’s all right there! The castle overlooking the city! All the sights, everywhere you look! History writ large! Edinburgh is incredible! There’s even, for some bizarre reason, a monument to Thunderbird Three!
“Ah, that’s the Scott Monument,” Phil explains. More confused than ever. Scott flew Thunderbird One, didn’t he?
A tram goes past! I love a tram!
We decamp to Wetherspoons for a late breakfast. And have much conversation about favourite Hawkwind LPs and tours. Phil got the original edition of Sonic Assassins as a present from his wife back in the day. We tease, no spoilers, the inclusion of an early 80s song in the current set-list. Phil talks about his love of Doctor Who and mentions that he spotted on Twitter that I’d hooked up with Keith Topping in Newcastle yesterday (“I think I was at an event with him once, nice chap”). Hawkwind. Doctor Who. Venn Diagram.
We leave Phil after popping into HMV for a copy of the new album. He’s pointed out to us the Caley Picture House where some fans are gathering before going to the gig. High winds are forecast, and walking down to the Premiere Inn near Haymarket a massive gust rushes up towards Princes Street. Small children scream. A cardigan is blown across to Waverley at hurricane force. We take shelter, with urgency.
Premiere Inn Hub is fantastically hi-tech!
Photo: Ian, Philip Gwynne Jones
At the Caley Picture House (a Wetherspoons!) we are hoping to see ‘FoFP’ himself, Mike Holmes but its another labyrinth and we miss each other. We do say ‘hi’ to anyone we spot in a Hawkwind T-Shirt (because, you know, it’s the law) and through that meet another name from the Facebook groups, Tom MacMaster. So many faces being put to names. Phil Jones arrives. We need a bus out to the old Corn Exchange, now another 02 venue - he knows the route.
Travelling out to the gig, I’m struck that here I am with a great travelling companion I really barely knew a couple of days ago, and another new friend from my fandoms. It’s like it’s the late 1980s again and I’m in London on the first Thursday of the month for Doctor Who fan meets at the Fitzroy Tavern in Charlotte Street. Travelling on buses to God knows where, with people who will surely become longtime friends but who I’ve only just met. Drinking beer and talking about everything. It feels nostalgic and good. I’m having such a time.
We catch-up with Mike Holmes and Lucy Wall at the little pub next to the O2, on an industrial estate somewhere. I’m sure he’s perplexed about it, but when our paths cross, like they did last September in Control Room B at Battersea (more cocktails, we are a sophisticated bunch), I always ask “Is this where the hardcore fans hangout?” In the dim and distant Mike got a crowd of us (including my Newcastle mate Topping) into a London Astoria ‘after gig’ party at the 12 Bar on Denmark Street by announcing to the bouncers that they needed to let us in because “we’re the hardcore fans.” We spent the rest of that evening chatting with the now much-missed Martin Griffin. Memorable.
Alan Taylor arrives - another fan who was kind and generous in offering to put me up at his home, for the Scottish gigs. Though I’d have missed the hi-tech Premier Inn Hub from Neil’s itinerary. [When I go to Scotland again in June, I follow his lead and create an itinerary… and it works too!]. I’ve known Alan since Bristol in 2003; it’s always good to see him. We all engage in conversation with somebody who has a very broad accent that we’re struggling with, but which our Scottish friends take in their stride. Someone across from one of the Scandinavian countries.
I once spotted the Sparks brothers in the Stockmann department store in Helsinki. A little told anecdote.
The lasers at Edinburgh are the best on the tour… best since Hall for Cornwall. The low ceiling really bounces them around. In contrast, at HfC the circle and balcony sent them travelling up and - optically at least - bouncing down again and were super effective because of that. I think Edinburgh is the gig that Dave himself comments on how good they are.
There’s a theme developing. The band were great at Manchester, better at Newcastle. Edinburgh is the best yet… is this them getting comfortable with the material as the tour goes along, or the boost the musicians feel as Dave gets stronger and more confident? Bit of both, but much of the latter I’d say. The new songs are really good, I’m very much starting to anticipate them in the set. There’s a Beatles-esque tune going on in one. I love them.
Harry Thomson introduces himself. “I love your pithy comments on Facebook and Twitter,” I say! He has a great put-down for every pompous political tweet. Chris Purdon lands again! Phil is blown away when the band kicks into ‘Lost Chances’. He’s open-mouthed. Did anyone ever expect to hear this played? What’s remaining to drop in as a surprise song choice another time? ‘Transdimensional Man’ anyone? I meet Nicky Carroll. Or was that Newcastle now I come to think of it? It’s all starting to blur! Jim Knight catches up again with Neil, but we’ve got separated and I miss him this time.
I haven’t bought a Hawkwind T-Shirt in years and the merchandise desk has sold out already. (I rectify this when Plastichead release them after the tour… leading to the '“chips in a bag” moment on the Royal Mile, and I’ll never hear ‘You Shouldn’t Do That’ in the same way again).
Photo: Caley Picture House, June 2024
Back on the bus to Haymarket. “I reckon your Venetian consul character ought to have a scene when he comes back to the UK for a Hawkwind gig with his Cornish mates,” I sagely, and after several beers, tell Phil. “Sounds like a Christmas short story to me,” he says! We say goodbye at our stop and look forward to the next time. It’s been great to hang-out. Premier Inn bar open… Ian and Neil post-gig wind-down in progress.
We chat about past tours. Neil did every gig on the fabled ‘Black Sword’ tour (“Aberdeen was such a small venue, they couldn’t mount the proper show”). I reminisce about the final date, at Bristol. “That moment when a roadie started dismantling Dumpy’s Rusty Nuts’ gear, even while Dumpy tried to extend his encore.”
“That was me,” says Neil.
Hawkwind 3 - Wetherspoons 5
7 April 2024
Another day, another hearty Wetherspoons breakfast (the Booking Office, down by Waverley), ahead of the train to Glasgow. Messages from work about what a good time it looks like I’m having… and don’t I need to take a extra day off to recover? Let’s see.
Have some messages on the train with Jo Kendall, editing the Record Collector Hawkwind bookazine, which I’ve been very kindly asked to chip in on (and which will carry my tour review ‘proper’ as it were). How is Dave doing? Stronger each gig, I reply. “Bless him,” comes back the heartfelt response. So much goodwill for this man who has meant so much over the years to so many of us.
Glasgow is more impressive than the image I carry around in my head from episodes of Taggart, I must say. At least in the square opposite the train station. Perhaps Premier Inn will have a early check-in opportunity. They don’t, but they do have ‘left luggage’ facilities. How have I never asked this before? In June, it becomes a bit of a life saver instead of dragging bags around all day. Doh!
We decide we’ll mooch around town for the afternoon. Heading back into the city we spot the two Marks (‘Skid’ and Heaton) hoping for the very same early check-in. We share the bad news of ‘no’ and the good news of ‘left luggage’ and invite them to mooch around town for the afternoon with us.
We mooch as far as the first Wetherspoons, 200 yards down the road at least, and park-up for the duration. The Marks are great company - we have a brilliant afternoon and evening hanging-out together. Skid is telling us stories of recording the Incubus Lovechild LP with Hawkwind alumni Niall Hone guesting on bass, and of his solo gigs to the backing tracks at On Board The Craft and Glastonbury King Arthur. Neil recounts some Hawkwind backstage roadie memories [redacted, redacted, redacted, redacted].
It’s old firm derby day in the football. At the next table a chap is parked up with a beer and an iPad to watch the match. When the final whistle blows, he engages us in football-related conversation… which goes over some of our heads… but he’s earnest and keeps to his theme for the next 45 minutes at least. We’ve picked apart the downsides of VAR in some detail before he leaves. We all shake hands with him and explain the Cornish contingent here are so far north we’re getting nose bleeds. What’s his name? “Mark.” Everybody today is called Mark.
After check-in we return and grab some food before heading towards the venue. Fans are gathering at the Laurieston so we make for that, but then Facebook abounds with messages that it’s closed. Nearby… a Wetherspoons where we gather instead. Mike and Lucy are there. “Is this where the hardcore fans hang out?” I ask. More Cornwall contingent! Debbie Sayers and her lad have arrived! Really good to see people from home and meet a youngster getting a proper Hawkwind experience! Paul Garbutt is here. We say hello to Tom MacMaster again. Alan Taylor arrives. I catch a few quick words with Richard Chadwick, but don’t want to take up his time pre-gig; the Hall & Oates book intended for him is still at the hotel.
The Laurieston isn’t closed. You have to knock on the door and ask to be let in because of the football.
Bittersweet we head across the bridge with the Marks and Alan, and over to the venue. Last night of our journey, the band sailing over to Belfast in the morning for the final gig of the tour.
Catch EBB’s open set, as we did the previous night. I know them from the great cover of ‘The Demented Man’ and am impressed with their visual approach to music on stage. Mark them down for further investigation.
The O2 Glasgow is a bit of a cavern, with a raised rear section which we stay on to watch the bands and a further standing area below. I give thanks again for the vintage beauty and sympathetic redevelopment of Newcastle City Hall, by far the best venue on the tour. No surprises in the Hawkwind set, the only change during the tour is the swap-out of Wolverhampton’s first night encore of ‘Master of the Universe’ for ‘You’d Better Believe It’. No matter, it is fascinating how the songs within that set list develop over the four nights we hear them.
There’s a real buzz around the band and a great sense of ease on stage, an achievement against the odds. Again marvel at how well the new songs - ‘Frozen in Time’, ‘Till I Found You’ - have nestled into the set. Again marvel at the way the band have coalesced to make these joyous, celebratory, days happen.
Kris Brock says hello as she passes through the crowd. Neil gets a hug. I say that we are so far north we are getting nose bleeds. Nervousness from us about our flight home in predicted high winds tomorrow. The same for Kris with a forecast choppy crossing. Speak to Nick and Marie on merch again. “Hello” with Neil Ward. See Jim Knight outside post-gig. Why have I left it until now to do this tour follow thing? If only that Venn Diagram could produce a TARDIS. I’ve done this fan thing wrong all these years and missed out. Regrets? I have a few.
Melancholic back at the hotel. The two Marks hived-off to get food on the way back and though I message a note with bar closing time they are just going to crash ahead of an early flight tomorrow. We’ve had such a great time hanging out with them.
Leaving Oz Hardwick on Doncaster station? A lifetime ago.
Hawkwind 4 Wetherspoons 8
8 April 2024
Train back to Edinburgh. Flight back to Newquay. I drop a quarter of my breakfast Starbucks cinnamon swirl on the floor. Buzzing, happy, knackered.
Post-match analysis shows the Hawkwind/Wetherspoons result to be closer than the score suggests. At venues 14 hours and 58 minutes. At Wetherspoons 15 Hours 43 minutes.
Neil’s phone also records:
Flying 656 miles 3h 26m
Train 385 miles 6h 42m
Station visits 10
On a bus 3.8 miles 28min
On a tram 7miles 56min
Walking 12 miles 5h 32m
“Every time I go out/I think I’m being checked out.”
Knackered.
Beautiful calm day in Edinburgh. Bumpy over the cliffs back into Newquay but nothing to worry about. Spend the flight reading Rob Young’s All Gates Open: The Story Of Can. Message Kris to enquire about the sailing to Belfast. That’s been calm as well. Enthuse about Dave’s resilience and commitment. Admiration.
9 April 2024
No post-gig crash as many forecast. Still buzzing. It lasts the week. Actually, it hasn’t really stopped. At work: “I thought we were going to hear “Hawkwind, Hawkwind, Hawkwind.” All we’re getting from Ian is, “Knackered.””