SHOT DOWN IN THE NIGHT

Hawkwind - Shot Down in the Night (2011) * recorded in winter '79

This recently released 2lp of live performances of Hawkwind from winter 1979 is an insult to the faithfull record buyer. The artwork is perfect and the track-listing is interesting, why shouldn't I buy this low-priced new Hawkwind live album?

Now the problem with this double vinyl is the absolute amateurish bootleg sound of the record that could almost have been recorded with an handy-cam. Looking at the art-work I had hoped to find a successor for the amazing 'Love in Space' live album, but this is far from that. Due to the awful recording quality Hawkwind sounds like an amateurish punk band. The space effects are almost completely hidden behind the the layer of noisy guitar, drums and bass.

The material itself is acceptable. The plays some great songs from Levitation and some classics from older records. I wish the material didn't sound like it was played from a mobile phone.

Conclusion. Don't spend a penny on this worthless recorded and produced live album. Don't be swept away by it's good artwork. If you want live albums of Hawkwind I recommend The Business Trip and Love in Space. One star.