I feel strangely at home in Bristol. Spending a weekend there, going to concerts and exploring the city has given me a love for the city’s culture, and places! It's intriguing, in that respect, then that the two acts playing the Thekla tonight are ones I discovered through a festival in Cardiff.
Hamish Hawk stood out for me at Swn Fest last year for his sense of showmanship, and his unique style of song crafting that owes a lot to new wave, whilst being distinctly queer and experimental. “I want you to promise that I will see every one of you again,” Hawk remarked before finishing that set in the Tramshed. Well, promise kept! Tickets to this show were purchased almost immediately after that performance, and it's one that from my perspective, proves even more impressive.
That said, let me take some time to compliment Spielmann. Performing alone with just an electric guitar and a backing track as accompaniment – “It’s just karaoke going on up here” - the Leeds-based musician immediately wins over the audience with his humour and his deeply observational songs, which apply a wry mockery to everyday anxieties.
That said, let me take some time to compliment Spielmann. Performing alone with just an electric guitar and a backing track as accompaniment – “It’s just karaoke going on up here” - the Leeds-based musician immediately wins over the audience with his humour and his deeply observational songs, which apply a wry mockery to everyday anxieties.
Meanwhile, his songs channel the great American songwriters, with hints of Tom Petty And Springsteen coming through in the joyous melancholy while fluttering synth work lends a hint of dream pop to the songs.
Having seen Spiellman play the Moon in Cardiff, there’s a prophetic nature to seeing him share a stage with our headline act, even if both acts penchant for witty writing, and a sharp ability to craft melodies.
From the moment he takes the stage, Hamish exudes confidence. His lyrics navigate the dark parts of his psyche, as well as his dreams and ambitions with a sense of vaudeville theatricality. Meanwhile, his backing band expertly commands every dynamic shift and shift in tone, from the dark Machiavelli’s Room to the danceable Big Cat Tattoo’s.
From the moment he takes the stage, Hamish exudes confidence. His lyrics navigate the dark parts of his psyche, as well as his dreams and ambitions with a sense of vaudeville theatricality. Meanwhile, his backing band expertly commands every dynamic shift and shift in tone, from the dark Machiavelli’s Room to the danceable Big Cat Tattoo’s.
Indeed, despite his habit of sauntering around the stage and being erratic in his movements, something that stands out about our frontman is his humility.
“I am Hamish Hawk. We are Hamish Hawk” he says at one point, reminding the audience that while he may demonstrate a gigantic stage presence, he is only as talented as the musicians who accompany him, and contribute their ideas to his projects.
Indeed, special mention should go to guitarist Andrew Pearson, who proves a significant source of creativity within the band and makes his live presence felt, particularly on moments like Caterpillar and Nancy, Dearest on which he unleashes jagged, visceral guitar solos, capturing the inner turmoil at the heart of these pieces.
Indeed, special mention should go to guitarist Andrew Pearson, who proves a significant source of creativity within the band and makes his live presence felt, particularly on moments like Caterpillar and Nancy, Dearest on which he unleashes jagged, visceral guitar solos, capturing the inner turmoil at the heart of these pieces.
Meanwhile, the percussive work of Steffan Maurice and the synth touches of John Cashman emphasize the subtlety at the heart of these songs, allowing for a varied emotional experience.
Drawing heavily on songs from the new album A Firmer Hand, there’s a darker undercurrent to the show, as many of the songs explore the feeling of never truly understanding or making sense of your sexuality. One exceptionally moving moment for me comes with the enraged Men Like Wire, which explores feeling an irrational sense of shame as to who you are, and the parts of yourself that you’ve hidden, for fear of rejection.
Drawing heavily on songs from the new album A Firmer Hand, there’s a darker undercurrent to the show, as many of the songs explore the feeling of never truly understanding or making sense of your sexuality. One exceptionally moving moment for me comes with the enraged Men Like Wire, which explores feeling an irrational sense of shame as to who you are, and the parts of yourself that you’ve hidden, for fear of rejection.
The passion poured into every moment of the performance feels contagious, as it spills over from the performers to audience members, particularly those who relate to the stories of existential loathing or insecurity.
Given the seriousness of many of the songs performed tonight, the way humour is used throughout the show is incredibly inspiring. Hawk exudes a charming awkwardness between songs that makes him instantly amiable, whilst the decision to encore with a cover of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, by the Rolling Stones certainly comes out of left field but proves an outstanding end to the night.
Given the seriousness of many of the songs performed tonight, the way humour is used throughout the show is incredibly inspiring. Hawk exudes a charming awkwardness between songs that makes him instantly amiable, whilst the decision to encore with a cover of (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction, by the Rolling Stones certainly comes out of left field but proves an outstanding end to the night.
The joy these musicians get from performing is palpable as if it's music that allows them to comprehend and transcend the worries that haunt them off-stage. In that sense, concerts like these are not just cabaret, but a act of defiance. 10/10
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