It takes a great performer to make a cavern feel homely. Trust Richard Hawley to do so, then, for Live at the Devil’s Arse 2008 is a great example of how those cave systems can be turned into an intimate place of musical spectacle. What better antidote for an early-year flu than a bit of joy from the crooning legend himself? Ripped right from a prolific period and bookended by two of the best records Hawley put out – Live at the Devil’s Arse 2008 is a profile of songs to come as the Sheffield star teases the likes of Ashes on the Fire and digs deep into his discography. Live albums are a lost core, but this piece from Hawley reignites the fires of this style of recording.
The unpredictability of it, the suddenness of one track to another and the interaction with a crowd over the course of an hour is wonderful. Live at the Devil’s Arse 2008 opens with “an old one,” in the form of Darlin’. Tributes to organisers, his father and beyond are featured throughout as is a performance from Hawley’s mum, Lyn Hawley. Delicate acoustic sways are frequent here. I’m On Nights, dedicated to his late father who worked those pitch-black hours and listened away to Hawley on a Walkman, is a wonderful addition. Live performance can sometimes shine a light on the finer qualities of a track nestled elsewhere, and this happens for I’m On Nights, an intense little number which fits the silence which falls through this cover.
Later highs like Serious and Lady Solitude rely on those same comforts. A quiet falling over the audience, the occasional whoop or cry of appreciation, and nothing more than this. Most of the focus is on Hawley and the band whose playing style is slick and sharp in all the right ways. The humour in between each track flows well, as do the tracks themselves. For those who have heard Hawley live before, it is startling how little has changed when it comes to stage presence and quality. The Sea Calls and Run For Me are key highlights of this. Played to perfection, built brilliantly and feeling the festive atmosphere with covers of Elvis Presley and neat Christmas additions.
Devil in Disguise and Silent Night proves a romantic and essential double bill of covers. The live stage lends itself to moments of spontaneity, as it should. Live at the Devil’s Arse 2008 is a place of such wild and sudden movements – a treat for the ears. Rightly sought after in its LP form, the charms of Hawley are right there on stage for all to hear, and from those early days in the Devil’s Arse to more recent performances and releases from Halifax Piece Hall, it is a pleasure to be taken by these tunes. There is a constant and unwavering appreciation, an almost stunned feel to Hawley, who cannot believe after all these years he has the gift to do this. It feels like a shock to the system to hear someone so consistently tremendous on stage – but it should be no surprise to those longstanding Hawley fans.
