Hawkwind / Bruise

Bruise are an astonishingly good act; you feel like you have known them and their music for ages. Isobel Morris’ vocals are haunting yet intrusive and cover a broad range. That along with her excellent skills on guitar and Jim Kimberley thumping away on the drums means the tracks from debut album ‘B’ ensure these London art rockers gain more numbers to their following after every show. If only they had a better mic stand (the mic repeatedly tried to free itself from the stand during the set, despite the added aid of gaffa).



Watching Hawkwind is like visiting another planet in many ways. All the talk of space, strange UV creatures flowing around the stage and the most hypnotising backdrops I have ever seen. And I’m sober as a judge! Though they do look old now (I never understand that saying; what are people supposed to do? Look younger with age?!) they are still as good as ever, with Alan Davey providing the harsh punk vocals with his strange way of singing (craning his neck upwards), while Dave Brock stands in the dark giving out spooky vocals backed by Richard Chadwick’s high pitched ramblings. And then there is the UV creepy crawly aliens on stage now and again. With bubble machines and majorette sticks. That keep messing with Jason Stuart and his keyboards. But the backdrops; some relevant to the songs, like ‘Robot’, are mesmerising. It is hard to turn away.



Though no sign of ‘Masters Of The Universe’, the encore includs crowd favourite ‘Spirit Of The Age’ and ‘Motorhead’. And no ‘Silver Machine’ as Bruise already had the pleasure during their set.

FUTURE GIGS