It was great to catch up with friends old and new at another mega gig in the Museum Gardens in York. Headliner for this one was Richard Hawley, a man who was once a member of Longpigs (1993-2000) and a touring member of Pulp (1998–2002, 2011–2012). He released his first solo album ‘Late Night Final’ in 2001. But enough of him for now, because the bill included some fine support acts. First on stage was Hamish Hawk. This is a man who produces classic Scottish pop rock that in my opinion could only be made in Britain. Imagine, if you will, Edwyn Collins travelling back in time to the Middle Ages and coming back as Hamish Hawk. While the wonderfully frantic punk funk of “Caterpillar” closed the show it was “The Mauritian Badminton Doubles Champion, 1973” that was the highlight of the set for me.
Next it was the turn of BC Camplight a Manchester-based American songwriter and multi-instrumentalist (a.k.a. Brian James Christinzio). He released his first album, ‘Hide Run Away’ in 2005 and his latest, ‘A Sober Conversation’ earlier this year. The band were tight and at times sounded like a much rockier early Elton John. The backing vocals occasionally showed great prowess for some doo-wop style vamping. BC Camplight and his band are a fucking awesome unit, how the hell have I never seen them live before? There were way to many high points to mention all of them, but I loved “I Only Drink When I’m Drunk” and “Two Legged Dog”.
The penultimate band was last year’s Mercury Music prize winners English Teacher. If Indie was a genre (it isn’t) then I am sure some people might suggest English Teacher as a part of the genre definition. But they are so much more than what many see as Indie. The band has some wonderfully deep rock depths overlaid with sometimes intriguing but always gorgeous lyrics. They played a new song, “Tooth Pick” and that has some delightful prog rock overtones. Every song in their set was perfect but “R & B” and “Albert Road” were mountainous. I have been listening to that debut album ‘This Could Be Texas’ again while I have been writing up this review. I can see English Teacher being a force in British music for years.
Finally it was time for Richard Willis Hawley to grace the Museum Gardens stage. Including the main man himself there were ten people on stage, the string quartet added some beautiful almost cinematic soundscapes to Hawley’s magnificent songs. While he didn’t play my favourite, “Tonight The Streets Are Ours”, the seventeen song set was so majestic I didn’t really notice it hadn’t been played until I was on my journey home. But he did play the soon to be 20 years old ‘Coles Corner’ album in full and what a delight it was. “The Ocean” actually had me welling up a little. Then when Richard remained on stage to play the traditional lullaby, “Who’s Gonna Shoe Your Pretty Little Feet?”, accompanied just by his acoustic guitar it made me think of my now adult children when they were very young. Hawley’s interaction with his audience was funny, self-deprecating and at times very emotional. He explained the reason that many of the band were wearing was to show support for Dioga Jota, the Liverpool footballer, who died recently. That got a well deserved warm reaction from the crowd. His skit about giving up smoking 40 cigs a day and now saving £15,000 a year as a result was very funny and featured his ace blunt Yorkshire dry humour. It was good to hear “Galley Girl” again, that song was always one of my favourites from his ninth album ‘Further’ (2019). The band closed out on a slightly psych wig out of a rock fest with a towering “Heart Of Oak”. This ranks as one of the best sets I have ever seen. The last time that I saw Richard Hawley was at the V Festival in 2006. I promise not to leave it as long next time!
Big shout out to Futuresounds for pulling together such a great run of shows in the magnificent setting that is the Museum Gardens in York. I am already excited for next year, are you?
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