LIVE: Richard Hawley @ Guy Garvey’s Meltdown Festival, 16.06.16

“Have I mentioned the time I met Richard Hawley…?”  If you know me, you will indeed have heard me mention it. Sheffield, mid-noughties, my cousin’s boyfriend (now husband) swaps glasses with Hawley in the bar he owns. A night I’ll never forget…

However, despite ‘meeting’ the iconic Sheffield artist, I’ve never seen Richard Hawley perform live. So, it was with particular excitement that I discovered I would finally have the pleasure at Guy Garvey’s Meltdown Festival last night.

As the Royal Festival Hall begins to fill up, Irish singer-songwriter Fionn Regan treats us to his charming, delicate folk offerings. A perfect way to start the evening. 

As the suave Hawley and his band make their entrance, opening with ‘Which Way?’ – from Hollow Meadows, the latest album – his smooth, deep drawl alongside the soaring uptempo hooks easily match the elegance of the venue.

Introducing 2007’s ‘Tonight, The Streets Are Ours’, Hawley makes a moving dedication to Jo Cox; the song’s twinkling grandeur a perfect tribute.

With a range of tracks from his vast catalogue – from the haunting, cinematic splendour of ‘Standing On The Sky’s Edge’ and beautiful romanticism of recent track ‘Sometimes I Feel’, to the raging guitar solos of ‘Leave The World Behind’ – each of Hawley’s offerings succeed in casting the crowd under his spell.

Clad in denim on denim, Hawley proves he is just as comfortable in his role as timeless, romantic crooner, to energy-fuelled, reverb-strewn-riff-making rocker. He can even pull off giving numerous thumbs-ups throughout the night; a man after my own heart.

Continuing with the whirring psychedelic vibes of ‘Down In The Woods’ (complete with its own nursery rhyme mash-up) and heart-rending grace of Hollow Meadows’ ‘Heart Of Oak’, Hawley’s swooning, deep vocals are simply enchanting, as each offering leaves me with shivers down my spine and tears in my eyes.

As Hawley and his band return to the stage for an impassioned rendition of ‘Coles Corner’, the sweeping melodies and moving tenderness leave me and my partner – hands locked – utterly mesmerised. Our highlight of the evening.

The evocative lyrical storytelling of ‘The Ocean’ is a majestic end to a simply spellbinding evening. Having wanted to see Richard Hawley live for years, and with his music holding a special place in my heart, he delivers a set that is every bit as magical as I had hoped for.

Mari Lane
@marimindles

Artwork: Paul Dawes

Mari Lane

Mari Lane

Editor, London. Likes: Kathleen Hanna, 6Music, live music in the sunshine. Dislikes: Sexism, pineapples, the misuse of apostrophes.