One of my favorite bands of the 90's returned to the NYC stage on Saturday night with a torrid and passionate set filled with their classics and some brand new shiny glam rocking pop gems.

And I almost missed it!

Being the consummate last minute Charlie that I am, I didn't purchase an advanced ticket. And they've always been a very well kept secret (case in point, i found just one post on them here on mog), so I just figured I'd be able to get a ticket at the door. However, I checked on Ticketweb a few hours prior and they were sold out! Doh! I felt like an ass. And my good friend and long time collaborator, bassist Frank Caira from Brooklyn Mod Sensations The Above, had already procured tickets the week prior without telling me, the bastard!

Then the following ensues:

1. I call Webster Hall and they tell me there'll still be tickets sold at the door

2. I stop by before meeting Frank for a very yummy, healthy meal at the always packed and delicious Angelica Kitchen, and they tell me they are not selling tickets at the door, since Spacehog's list was soooo long

3. I beg to no avail

4. Oh well, I think, I'll go catch up with Frank, chow down, and have an early night of it

5. After dinner, I stroll by hoping for the oft chance that I might scalp something and we run into an old friend of my guitarist's, who complained that they were looking for two extra tickets and since they were sold out, they were leaving, but they did have one they wouldn't be using.

6. I get my golden ticket!

Indeed the Gods of Glam Rock were bestowing gifts to me that night.

And Spacehog's rip roaring performance was the biggest of all!

I believe we walked in a few minutes late and missed the opening numbers, but back in the day, they often opened with Earthquake, possibly my favorite song of theirs off their third and what I thought was going to be their final album, The Hogyssey. It features an oh so satisfyingly maniacal riff and the kind of robotically sexy groove that Jonny Cragg seems to lay down in his sleep. Here you go.

We walked in for In The Meantime, the video for which I'll post here. Their first and only hit, as far as I know, it's catchy as fuck and a singular piece of modern rock glam pop in the sense that I've never heard anything like it on my radio before, anything current that is. You see, Spacehog are Dinosaur lovers, and those Dinosaurs are named T-Rex, Queen, and David Bowie. Not many bands successfully combine such influences without seeming like total wannabees and Spacehog have done it on every one of their records with a kind of cheeky sense of humor and talent that seems only to grow in Britain.

Spacehog are one of those bands that I always thought should be huge and could never understand why they weren't. I guess the rest of America simply doesn't agree with this sound. But I've also heard, and perhaps Mogger Extraordinaire and Renaissance Man, Mr. Robin Danar, can confirm or deny these rumors, that these guys were not very interested in hitting the road and working their records as hard as one must to break through. I get the sense, and I have no facts to support this but hearsay, that they were satisfied to toil away in the studio, play the occasional show and enjoy the rock n roll fruits of their labor (if you know what I mean), specifically guitarist Antony Langdon. But what would a real glam rock band inspired by the giants I mentioned be without such characters and appetities!

Getting back to what's most important, the music. The set also featured a few new numbers. I believe they are in the process of laying them down for a new record in sunny L.A., which is certain to put a smile on my face. The one that stuck out for me was called Germany, and Antony sang lead on it.

So, since there's so little Spacehog love here on MOG. I'm gonna make this the mother of all Spacehog posts and go wild below. Enjoy the sights and sounds!

First off, for the sounds, my other favorite off the Hogyssey, The Horror, and then the song they closed with off their debut LP, Resident Alien, called Zeroes.

Then videos aplenty.

The first is a live one from L.A.'s Spaceland a few months back.

Long live the Hog. Space is indeed the place!