STEVE HILLAGE & GONG + THE UTOPIA STRONG – CONCORDE 2, BRIGHTON 2.4.23
Tonight Steve Hillage makes a welcome return to the Concorde 2 in Brighton. As when I reviewed his performance here in 2019, (review HERE) he is accompanied by his partner Miquette Giraudy together with members of Gong: namely Fabio Golfetti on guitar, Dave Sturt on bass, Kavus Torabi on guitar, Ian East on saxophone and flute, and Cheb Nettles on drums.
However, prior to Steve Hillage appearing, support comes from The Utopia Strong, who comprise snooker ace Steve Davis on synthesiser, Michael J York on wind instruments, harmonium, Northumbrian pipes and vocals, also Kavus Torabi on guitar and vocals. Kavus is going to be a very busy boy tonight, as he will also be playing in Steve Hillage’s band.
Some of you may remember that I reviewed The Utopia Strong at the ‘Green Man Festival ‘back in September. You may also remember that I was somewhat uncomplimentary about them. Indeed, I thought that they were awful. However, tonight their music seems far more cohesive and coherent than when I saw them in September. Their performance somehow seems to make far more sense tonight. Steve Davis sits facing the audience (he effectively had his back to us before), and this makes him appear to be more engaged with us. I would still say that they are not the most exciting band in the world, and I believe that one would have to be in a particular state to get the maximum enjoyment from their performance.
However, there seems to be a higher degree of musicality than before, and their performance is certainly interesting. In contrast to my review from last year, their music is now certainly fit to be enjoyed by the public! So why did they seem so bad on our previous encounter? I know that their music didn’t seem to hang together very well on that occasion. Were they under-rehearsed? I find that difficult to believe. Was it the venue? Sometimes seeing an unfamiliar artist playing in a field isn’t necessarily the best introduction to their material. It could also be the time of day that they played, which if my memory serves me correctly was in the very early hours in the morning. Whatever it was, that was then and this is now: tonight The Utopia Strong are not bad at all.
The Utopia Strong:
Steve Davis – synthesiser
Michael J York – wind instruments, harmonium, Northumbrian pipes and vocals
Kavus Torabi – guitar and vocals
The Utopia Strong material can be located on their Bandcamp page HERE.
Steve Hillage and his band (or Gong if you will) appear, and we settle down (or stand in reality) for what we hope will be a lengthy show. Tonight appears to be well sold out, and deservedly so. Steve is a truly incredible guitarist, and his skills get a good work-out. The musicians from Gong are very much his equal as well. Sometimes Miquette Giraudy’s synths are not particularly noticeable, until she steps in with a solo, which takes the song to a whole new level. She also contributes backing vocals and synthesised vocals as well.
Fabio Golfetti plays occasional lead guitar, but mostly contributes rhythm, often bowing his guitar with a thin metal bar. Dave Sturt’s fretless bass work is remarkably impressive, often sounding like a lead instrument in its own right. Kavus Torabi alternates between lead and rhythm guitar. Kavus is Gong’s frontman these days, and frequently I notice him checking himself so as not to take the limelight from Steve Hillage. Kavus is a natural frontman and indulges in plenty of kicks and jumps, not to mention the odd bit of gurning…. Ian East plays a dazzling array of saxophones as well as flute. He often duets on sax with whoever’s taking a guitar solo at the time. Drummer Cheb Nettles takes numerous time signature changes in his stride. He’s a powerful player, which is exactly what this band needs.
Steve Hillage has a lengthy and varied discography. However, he is best known for the guitar based music that he produced between leaving Gong in the mid 1970s and when he started to make more ambient music in the early 1980s. Therefore there is a somewhat nostalgic air to tonight’s gig. However, this is pretty timeless music. It sounded quite futuristic when it came out, and indeed, it still does. Hillage doesn’t have ‘greatest hits’ as such, but nevertheless we do get some of his best known and best loved songs, such as ‘Fish’, ‘The Salmon Song’, ‘Ether Ships’, and as an encore, ‘The Glorious Om Riff’.
Steve has never been averse to performing a cover or two, and so it proves tonight, with George Harrison’s ‘It’s All Too Much’ (from The Beatles’ ‘Yellow Submarine’ soundtrack album) appearing early in the set. This is a song that Steve has very much made his own, and in my opinion his version far outstrips the original – sorry Fabs! Likewise Donovan’s ‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’ closes the set, and this is another song that Steve has very much put his mark on. Both of these songs feature regularly in his set. Less expected is The Soft Machine’s ‘Why Are We Sleeping’, which is dedicated to its composer Kevin Ayers.
When we get to the encores a crunching rendition of The Move’s ‘I Can Hear The Grass Grow’ is delivered, together with final encore ‘Are You Experienced?’ by The Jimi Hendrix Experience. Needless to say, the band do both songs justice, and then some. This has been a memorable evening of music, for all of the right reasons. Unfortunately it was the last show of the tour. I would have happily headed off to another date on the tour if there were any!
Steve Hillage & Gong:
Steve Hillage – guitar, vocals
Miquette Giraudy’s – synths, backing vocals and synthesised vocals
Fabio Golfetti – lead guitar, rhythm guitar
Dave Sturt – fretless bass, vocals
Kavus Torabi – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, vocals
Ian East – saxophones, flute
Cheb Nettles – drums
Steve Hillage setlist:
‘Fish’
‘It’s All Too Much’ (Beatles cover)
‘The Salmon Song’
‘Hurdy Gurdy Glissando’ (Donovan cover)
‘Octave Doctors’
‘Ether Ships’
‘Why Are We Sleeping?’ (The Soft Machine cover)
‘The Fire Inside’
‘The Dervish Riff’
‘Hurdy Gurdy Man’
(encore)
‘I Can Hear The Grass Grow’ (The Move cover)
‘Crystal City’
‘The Glorious Om Riff’
‘Are You Experienced?’ (The Jimi Hendrix Experience cover)
Find out more about Steve Hillage from his official website www.stevehillage.com and further information on Gong can be found HERE.
