Hamish Hawk, Piccadilly Records outstore – Night & Day Cafe, Manchester – Thursday 15th August 2024
songs for the national blackout
It’s a fine time to be getting to know Hamish Hawk. A gentleman who’s featured on our pages often, his lure is spreading among the team after an encounter at the Underneath The Stars Festival and on the back of the new A Firmer Hand album.
We”re back on the case with immediate effect as Hamish and the band set off on a promotional jaunt that hits Manchester early doors. In a wise move, Piccadilly Records temporarily relocates to the Night & Day Cafe across the road on Oldham Street and we’re grateful that the balmy weather has dropped a few degrees and it’s been raining as the venue is packed and rather hot. However, it makes for a real up close and personal experience in the sort of intimate confines that the increased acclaim that will surely shift Hamish into larger venues.
A Firmer Hand is out today and five songs are fired straight from the hip at the start of the ten song, 45 minute set. With he new album art emblazoned on the bass drum, looking ever so slightly psychotic, it couldn;t be further from the truth. Hamish engages humbly, even with those who’ve found a space in the wings, observing from side stage.
naked from the waist down
Machiavelli’s Room emerges from a dark corner swathed in very deep and sinister tones and as already noted in the album review, we’re transfixed by his lyricism – the “swamp of italics” in quoting his words we’ll avoid, saving them to savour in a private moment, but we have to add one of the new ones that sticks in the mind from the opening moments – “there’s nothing he likes more than to watch me disappearing inside him,” he croons in an controlled intense performance – perhaps his most Joy Divisionesque; a dark and swirling opening for the 7.30 kick off. What watershed!?
Autobiography Of Spy is a similarly dark episode with a more stripped back musical arrangement, and with the familiarity of singles, Big Cat Tattoos and Men Like Wire, Nancy Dearest has those at the front jigging and joining in the the “dearest Nancy dances past me” tagline. Three songs in and he’s already declaring the evening a success – “jings!” he observes in the style of the Broons from The Sunday Post; “this is already a blast!” he observes as Manchester greets him with gusto and love.
It all sounds great too and the clarity of the vocals allows for every word and nuance to be picked up as we head into a handful of fan requests from the back catalogue. We couldn’t have chosen better tbh; Daggers cools things down as he announces:”I am Hamish Hawk. We are Hamish Hawk,” he tells us, enquiring after our well being in the heat.
a seat at the gods
The closing run is a delight for a new HH fan. Elvis Look-alike Shadows and Money return from their first hearing at Underneath The Stars, Hamish is on the speakers at the lip of the stage doing his usual arm throwing shapes and the occasional Basil Fawlty in shock jump. he makes eye contact and does the winking from the lyric of the former before Bakerloo Unbecoming motors along with the chorus getting belted out by most. The beauty of having a small club in front of deep fans who’re happy to dance the Gay Gordons and sing songs for the national blackout.The almost inevitable Mauritanian Badminton Doubles Champion 1973 is the parting shot as all good things must come to an end.
Unforgettable.
He’s back in Manchester later in the year with Travis and if there was ever a case for our mantra of ‘always see the support band’ Hamish Hawk is it.
Hamish at Underneath The Stars 18th August 2024:
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