YULE RITUAL

Hawkwind Live is an entirely different band from Hawkwind Studio. The differences between both had always been present but, while in earlier years, live albums would feature songs they had recently released on the official albums (check Business Trip and Love In Space); the shows from 2000 onwards would only feature classic tracks from the various periods of the band.

With each new tour in the new millennium the set list changed. Plenty of live albums would follow covering a wide range of classic tracks. No wonder. With their longstanding career they have plenty of stuff to choose from. On Yule Ritual, the focus is on the late 70's early 80's period; say 1977-1981: Levitation, Flying Doctor, Motorway City are the highlights but also Lighthouse and Hurry on Sundown work really well.

It's a fine live album that fans will want to hear. For casual Hawkwind listeners, the live album from the ensuing year called Canterbury Fayre would be of bigger interest: 2 CDs with a focus on the Levitation and the Warrior on the Edge of Time albums.