Aldous Harding and H. Hawkline live review: the Welsh comic and the Kiwi’s dancing left leg
On a Saturday night in Newcastle that was wetter than Lee Evan’s suit, going to see the undeniably brilliant but notably undanceable Aldous Harding and H. Hawkline seemed like the most depressing option available. However, such is the beauty of live music and amazing artistry, the duo affirmed life in their own idiosyncratic way.
This was illuminated by a heroic woman on row 16 who defied logic and rose from her seat, slipped into the aisle, and began swaying and twisting in a state of ballroom awe as H. Hawkline regaled us with ‘Last Thing On Your Mind’. Her euphoric trance served as a beacon for the rest of us, urging us forth to be – as Hawkline puts it himself – danced through the ether.
With comic asides bringing levity throughout his opening set, the Welsh performer warmed things wonderfully with his Tennessee Williams-like tragicomic approach to music. Brimming with sincerity, he delivered his luscious tunes with a sense of humility. Suddenly, the rainy world of possibility outside of The Sage was rendered redundant.
So, when he slunk back into Aldous Harding’s band for the second part of the show, the audience were already enraptured—despite the efforts of a loudly chattering couple at the back of the venue and somewhat loftily priced pints at £6.20. Harding nullified these threats to enjoyment with her luscious, lyrical profundity.
Sat quite fiercely, Harding embraced one of many long silences to start her set. But when the music shone through this performative quirk, she simply couldn’t stop her left leg from weaving its little waltz across the stage. This juxtaposition was a paradigm for the night in general: a wallop of stern spiritualism whisked in with the light touch of lilting melody. With a band that were tighter than the Bee Gees’ trousers, profundity was seamlessly paired with the dance of dreamy music.
The pinnacle of this arrived with ‘Treasure’ which ranks high among the best live song performances I have ever seen. Played out beautifully by Harding and her band, never have rafters been rattled by a lighter touch—a performance akin to throwing a feather at a window and having the glass shatter.
This might not be a show for everyone, the penchant for lengthy durations of silence might perturb the easily distracted, but for those who are grabbed by Aldous Harding and H. Hawkline’s magnetism, it’ll make for an awe-inspiring evening of gentle wonder, first-rate musicianship, and perhaps even the odd drunken dancer dotted around.
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