When i was asked if i fancied going to see Spocks Beard at Newcastle’s 02 academy it was a bit of a no brainer. Having seen The Spocks before at the CRS i simply couldn’t wait to get there. Imagine my surprise when my co-pilot casually announced the “oh yes, there are two support bands on too”. The evening was simply getting better. To my further joy i was then told that supporting Spock’s Beard would be Beardfish and Simon Collins band Sound Contact. I was on a high before the first note rang out.The music of both supporting acts was something i was totally unaware of as indeed was the new Spock’s Beard album. What i can confirm was the shear enjoyment and musicality of both bands. Beardfish seemed fresh and tight as a nut. A band i will definitely be exploring very soon. Simon Collins band too were totally cohesive the boy looking every bit the Flaming Youth version of his father Phil. Simon’s voice and solid drum technique echoed is striking resemblance too. Both bands had a slightly heavy feel than i am used too but i loved it nevertheless.

Beardfish a breath of fresh air

By the time Spock’s Beard hit the stage the crowd were well and truly warmed through and treated to a high octane performance by these seasoned Prog warriors. Together with their new homie Ted Leonard who first struck me as a Henry Rollins figure they wasted no time at all playing music from their latest album Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep. Something Very Strange was the first up and it was launched into like a rugby match following an all blacks type mid stage meeting and war cry. Having heard nothing from the new album this song was new territory for me as were the rest of the songs from the new album. Ryo Okumoto’s effortless keyboard playing was a joy throughout the whole evening and he also took on the mantle of cheerleader and master of ceremonies too. Without stopping for breath the second helping of the album was executed with gusto. I Know Your Secret really caught my attention and just like Ryo’s keys echoed in my head all the way home.

Ryo Okumoto a true legend

Ted Leonard and Alan Morse

Dave Meros bass growled the whole evening too, it caused me to check my phone a couple of times thinking it was vibrating in my pocket such was it’s low frequency powerhouse grip. The band as a whole are without doubt one of the most together live bands i have yet to see. Dave Meros and Jimmy Keegan make for an exceptionally powerful and cohesive rhythm section whilst Alan Morse pitched up to be every bit Ryo’s musical nemesis when trading solo’s and stage antics. All of the pieces from the bands new album went down very well with the crowd namely Hiding Out, Submerged and Afterthoughts which i particularly enjoyed. Some of the old faves were played too, the most memorable being Distance From The Sun when Jimmy Keegan emerged from behind his drum kit to assume Dave Meros stage position whilst Dave replenished his stock of Budweiser. The harmonies throughout this song were every bit as good as anything i have heard at a Yes gig.  Jimmy Keegan proved himself to be as good a choir boy as he was a drummer. He returned to his kit to assist with the final song of the set, Waiting For You, again from the new album. Absolutely staggering.

During the set Ryo handed out some free gifts to unsuspecting members of the audience, myself being one of them. So, despite not hearing the new album i ended up hearing most of the songs played live and going home with a special edition double disc which i managed to get signed afterwards. After some power clapping the band returned to the stage and finished the night off with Go The Way You Go. Ryo’s amazing keyboard playing and aerobatics drove the crowd mad which in my own opinion elevated him to legend status. Alan Morse too just seemed to be on fire and i much prefered the band in this incarnation than the last. Ted Leonard had all the hallmarks of Brian Adams and from time to time sounded a little like Chris Thompson too. Ted’s guitar playing wasn’t too shabby either. My only negative observation of the event is that such a band as Spock’s Beard deseves a larger stage to play on and a larger crowd to enjoy them. However, the audience they had could not be bettered. I managed to have a chat with the band at the meet and greet afterwards and complimented each one of then on their performance. However, it was meeting and chatting with Ryo Okumoto that thrilled me the most. The man has energy and spirit that is simply enchanting and i would urge you to bask in his genius whenever you can. What a great start to what i have designated the year of Prog!

Progmeister & Hackett

On a very cold Saturday evening in February myself and Riversea keyboard ace Brendan Eyre set off for South Yorkshire to attend the Classic Rock Society awards evening. Little did we know what a magical evening it would turn out to be and one that we will both remember for a long time. As we pulled away and headed south we both automatically assumed that we both remembered the way. Not so. As we steamed towards Sheffield we stopped to consult our smartphones in a bid to get to the Montgomery Hall in Wath on Dearne in good time.

On arrival i met with up with Andy Tillison and his lovely lady Sally Collyer managing to get a brief chat about the progress being made on the forthcoming Tangent album. As we spoke John Young arrived and i managed to have a good chat with him about lifesigns. As i entered the main hall it was only a few moments before the lights dimmed and Magenta guitarist Chris Fry and his brother Dan took to the stage armed with acoustic guitars. As they both took flight i was instantly intrigued and quite taken with what i heard that when told to do so by Stephen Lambe i instantly rushed to the merch table and bought a copy of Chris Fry’s acoustic album Compositions. It’s been playing in the car ever since.

Chris & Dan Fry acoustic set

shush! The wise one is speaking.

As Stephen Lambe and fellow CRS cohort Steve Pilkington started to prepare everyone for the coming announcements they introduced Bob Harris to the stage which in my humble opinion added considerable kudos to the proceedings. Bob is someone whom i have a huge amount of respect for and proved to be a great raconteur. It did make me smile when either Stephen or Steve suggested that it will be good not having to get up for school in the morning having listened to his voice. I remember those Tuesday evenings very well. As the proceedings continued the recipients were handed their coveted perspex trophy’s in the following order…………

Best Male Vocalist – Damian Wilson
Best Female Vocalist – Christina Booth
Best Keyboard Player – Mike Varty
Best Bass Player – Yatim Halimi
Best Drummer – Henry Rogers
Best Guitarist – Chris Fry
Best Album – Beneath The Waves, Kompendium
Best Band – Mostly Autumn
Best Track – Lovers End Pt 3, Moon Safari
Best CRS Live Act – Magenta
Best Newcomer- Riversea
Unsung Hero – Jon Patrick
Outstanding Contribution to Music (chosen by the CRS Committee) – Andy Tillison

Brendan Eyre for Riversea best newcomer. Well desreved.

Not before time. Prog genius Andy Tillison

All very worthy winners though i have to admit that Brendan Eyre picking up the award on behalf of Marc Atkinson and himself for best newcomers (Riversea) made me feel very proud. I have known Brendan for a long time and know that he is a great composer and along with Marc thoroughly deserved this accolade. The other award which i think was a long time coming was the award given to Andy Tillison for his outstanding contribution to music. This was voted on by the committee of the CRS and again thoroughly deserved. Few people have given so much personally to progressive music than Andy and it was a joy to see him receive his award.

The very gifted Rob Reed (Kompendium) best album

Magenta swept the board.

Given the fact that i have postponed this years Progmeister festival i listened with renewed vigour to Jon Patricks war cry of a speech and left the hall inspired. Before i did so i managed to have a good chat with Steve Hackett and his lovely wife Jo who are about to start a busy year. All this topped off by the amazing Magenta who left little wonder why they swept the board in the awards. there set was stunning as befitting their award winning status.  All in all an epic adventure and one that encouraged to once again join the CRS after many years absence. It was great to meet some of the many people who contact me via Progmeister and FaceBook. The jouney home was sombre with Brendan at the wheel reflecting on a great evening and playing some great tunes in the car. I must just end by apologising to anyone whom i was loud and/or rude to. This was brought about by consuming my usual amount of Guiness with newly prescrimed medication. I have since been repremanded by my GP.

Team Progmeister arrived in good time for the Caravan’s gig at The Sage in Gateshead and a fast freezing Saturday evening only to have missed the support act. Yet another cherished institution displaying their historic wares in what is fast becoming the Thunderdome of Prog. Hall two at The Sage is a great place to see bands like Caravan favouring the full to capacity instead of half full ethos of the larger hall one. Caravan did just that, the hall was quite literally packed to the rafters which was befitting of the forthcoming performance.

The focus of the present tour is around Caravan’s “Girls That Go Plump In The Night” album a fair chunk of which was played with aplomb starting with “Memory Lain, Hugh. Notable performances of these songs were  “L’a auberge du sanglier” (A Hunting We Will Go”) and The Dog The Dog, He’s At It Again”. From the off the band as a collective were on fire and of all the Caravan performances i have seen over the years have to rank this as one of the best. There is an element of playing for the hell of it in Caravan’s playing and it which instills joy and enjoyment in their audience. Many bands who frequent the prog genre favour the dark and moody approach where as Caravan exude fun, light hearted subject matter and humour.

This was evident during “Golf girl” as multi-instrumentalist Geoffrey Richardson donned his amplified spoons. This is an event that has taken place for many years, however, on this occasion he duelled with newbie drummer Mark Walker on washboard. highly entertaining and maintained the spirit of caravan. On the subject of Mark Walker, i have no idea where the band found him or his musical heritage (Though i intend to find out) but he give the impression that he was wired directly to the mains.  Without doubt one of the most incredible drummers i have seen in recent years which projected the bands sound-stage to the outer reaches of the hall.

Many of the standards such as “The Land Of Grey & Pink” were played with renewed vigour, the band sounding tight, fresh and well rehearsed. of the newer songs “Nightmare” and “Fingers In The Till” were every bit as enjoyable as the old faves. Geoffrey Richardson charismatic communication in his role as MC assured the the all important human presence which seems to be getting lost in recent years, his appreciation of long serving drummer Richard Coughlan not fogotten whilst introducing the band and Richard’s youthful power house replacement, something i found very touching.  In fact many bands could learn a thing or two from Caravan. Pye Hastings apologised on numerous occasions for “having the lurgy”, something that was creeping though the rest of the band. This in no way distracted from his impeccable performance or hamper his enjoyment of the proceedings.

The bands performance throughout the whole evening raised the bar not only for others, it also give me the impression of a personal best. This becane evident on the final tour de force during David Sinclair’s classic “Nine Feet Underground”. I honestly thought Jan Schelhass would need the aid of a fire extinguisher such was the dexterity of his playing. One of the finest keyboard players in Prog of that there is no doubt. Jim Leverton’s voice being aired for the first time of the gig as a lead vocal was mellow and a beautiful contrast to Pye Hastings jaunty presentation. Geoffrey Richardson gutar and Viola simply divine throughout made this gig something very special indeed. The band returned to the demanding applause to perform a rousing encore before retiring to their dressing room for a well earned nap.

Without wishing to seem unkind, i half expected their carers to load them into a sunshine coach and return them to the retirement home following yet another escape such as the bands ageing appearance. Which just goes to show that you should never judge a book by it’s cover. I would urge some bands out there to attend one of the remaining gigs in a bid to see just how things should be done. Caravan’s performance at the stage was nothing short of gold standard. relying on nothing more than in house lighting and sound engineers they focused on the music and delivering it right between the eyes. Living Prog legends still doing the business. Thank you Caravan for a totally enjoyable evening and one that will stay in my memory for many years.

I

have to admit to being a bit of a late comer with regards to Steven Wilson. His many adventures thus far have eluded me including the now legendary Porcupine Tree, who only ever recorded one album that actually caught my attention, The Sky Moves Sideways. Sadly this was an album that Wilson himself regrets ever being made, his view being that Pink Floyd fans were listening to it due to their idol’s lack of output. My interest in Steve Wilson began after watching the documentary included with his previous DVD release “Insurgentes”. I became intrigued and impressed with his personal ethos and listened with renewed fervor to his latest album “Grace For Drowning”. The majority of the songs that make up Wilson’s latest DVD/Blue Ray “Get All You Deserve” are songs from from the “grace For Drowning album.

“Get All You Deserve” is a fantastic document of Steven Wilson’s enthusiasm, skill and imagination. The dark, apocalyptic and sinister visuals so expertly directed and edited by Lasse Hoile used throughout the show are startling and thought provoking. The beginning of the show aptly titled Intro/Citadel is little more than subsonic drones recorded by another Wilson project Bass Communion taken from the album “Cenotaph”. As the eerie image of the grim reeper is projected onto a gauze screen draped in front of the stage ( a technique pioneered by IQ) the band make their entrance. First up was drummer Marco Minneman starting as he meant to go on. The German drummer adding some jazz licks to his metal background commands attention from the outset. He is joined by bass player extraordinaire Nick Beggs, pretty much known to many in the current Prog scene completes one hell of a rhythm section. In fact the whole band are an amazing unit. Quite how Steve Wilson put them together i don’t know but it was nothing short of genius.

As messrs Minneman and Beggs pound out the opening of “Twilight Within The Courts Of The Sun” They are joined by Bulgarian guitar virtuoso Niko Tsonev, woodwind ace Theo travis and jazz pianist Adam Holzman playing some astounding keyboards throughout the whole set. Adam Holzman is an American musician with a rich musical background having played in Miles Davis’s band for four years and being the son of Jac Holzman, founder of Elektra records. It soon becomes evident by the way that he effortlessly caressed the keyboard he was a seasoned musician with a immense musical dexterity. Last on stage is Mr Wilson himself. Picking up his trusty Les Paul he immediately introduces a little grunge to the dark jazz that preceded it. This heavy guitar outing is made sweeter by Theo Travis flute intervention. Moving on to “Index” a song about the obsesive side of our characters and the need to collect things, Nick Beggs swaps his bass for a Chapman stick whilst Niko Tsonev crashes out some black power chords creating a huge aural collage.

One of the best songs of the show is “Deform To Form A Star”. Adam Holzman’s piano intro to this song is a sheer delight and he is joined on keyboards by Steve himself sitting awkwardly on a very low stool at a piece of furniture with his instrument built in. The Mellotron sound is without doubt the best i have heard to date. Quite simply the best song i have heard in 2012. Niko Tsonev’s guitar cresendo really does get the hairs on the back of the neck standing up. Other songs of note from the “Grace for Drowning” album is “Sectarian” with lush yet powerful tones and nightmare soundscapes. Elsewhere on the disc songs from the Insurgentes album are well represented by “Veneno Para Las Hadas” sounding like very early Pink Floyd, and Abandoner. Extras on the disc include a road movie of the bands journey through South America by Adam Holzman who accompanied the film with Moog Voyager noodlings and the obligatory gallery.

Picture quality is very good as you would expect from Blue Ray, though i am not sure that the very nature of the filming or the fact that a lot of the show is filmed through the gauze screen is worth the extra money for the Blue Ray over the standard DVD. sound quality is excellent and the choice of DTS 5.1 master audio and 96/24 stereo LPCM should appease full AV or Hi-fi users. My review was based on the stereo setting and pretty good it was too. Fans of Steven Wilson will not have given the purchase of Get All You Deserve a second thought considering it as they will prerequisite. I would recommend to anyone who has not yet explored Steven Wilson’s solo work to buy this Blue Ray or the DVD with confidence. It may not have gone un-noticed that we rarely post reviews of DVD’s or Blue Ray discs not because we dislike the majority of them. It is because so many bands/artistes who like to release concert footage do so on a budget or without very little imagination involved. Steve Wilson delivers an experience, something with kudos and a pleasure to own. Many could learn from his artisic flare and imagination which along with one of the tightest bands i have seen/heard on a stage for quite some time make this visual document a must have.

As with many artists now, different options of Steven Wilsons latest package of artistry are available from www.swhq.co.uk

Blue Ray £12

DVD £9

Blue Ray/DVD/2 CD £28

This long awaited project from Steve Hackett is finally with us. And the guessing about which pieces would be included and the debate about which should and should not be included are now at an end. Genesis Revisited II is the sequel to 1996′s original revisited album.  This offering has been a topic of debate amongst fans for a while with some people asking the simple question why? Only Mr Hackett can answer that. I would council that some Genesis songs and musical forays do benefit from a spring clean and i would suspect that the opportunity to include ideas that may have been originally intended or to simply add a different flavour or dimension  is a very hard thing to resist. I for one am glad that he didn’t, because this really is an album which not only raises a smile or two, but re-loads the enthusiasm of the by now predominantly aged Genesis disciples with the want to revisited The classic Genesis line up’s classic albums.The interesting art work is inspired by the Apcolypse section of Suppers Ready “Daragons coming out of the sea” and depending on which format you go for makes for an interesting package.

Utilising the many talents of his touring band Steve has enlisted some interesting personnel to further augment the celebration of Genesis and their finer moments. Included in the intriguing artwork and booklet is a full list of guests and their contribution. One thing is very clear from the outset, this album has painstakingly been put together and a great deal of time, patience and know how to get things just so. Testament to this is the beautiful orchestration that lures in the listener eventually morphing into the wonderful Chamber Of 32 Doors. Agents Of Mercy front man Nad Sylvan brings a little magic to the splendour of this vastly underrated Genesis classic. His Gabrielesque tones draw attention to an overlooked diamond from the Lamb album which benefits from the full and pleasing orchestration. Horizons also given a spring clean sounding crisper and slightly more atmospheric. No doubt in part down to the fact that Steve as well as playing to his usual gold standard used six string steel guitar via a Leslie. I must admit to being smitten by this and of course Horizons heralds the beginning of a very special event for all genesis fans, Supper’s Ready.

Opeth’s Mikael Arkefeldt starts to walk across the sitting room backed by some rather stunning acoustic guitar after which the vocal baton is handed to the superb son of Collins young Simon. Simon Collins contribution to the whole project is to be commended none more so than here.  Fast forwarding to Willow Farm Conrad Keely puts an almost Noal Coward upper class English feel to it. I could almost picture him in my minds eye in a smoking jacket, monocle and cigarette holder. The cigar however goes to Francis Dunnery for the gratifying closing section of  this important opus in the Genesis canon. Back to The Lamb album with Nick Kershaw delivering a pure vocal rendition and Marillion’s Steve Rotherey bolstering Mr Hackett’s already substantial guitar sound which leads to the first of the highlights of the album, Dancing With The Moonlit Knight. Steve sites his influences on this powerful and intriguing version of a personal favourite as Scottish plain music to Elgar. Opening with Greensleeves re-enforced the English nature of the piece and smoothed off beautifully by Francis Dunney’s insightful vocal signature. Jeremy Stacey’s drum sound having a great leading edge adding impetus to the main body of the piece.

Fly On A Windshield has been given new batteries adding more depth and pace to an already great piece of music leading as per the original into Broadway melody Of 1974.  Gary O’Toole’s blues inflection seemed to have an almost crooner style to it which although interesting left the song in need of more vocal vigour. This was very short lived when along came The Musical Box. This holds the earliest recording of Steve’s now famous tapping technique copied by many bettered by none. This seems a little more sinister than the original due in no small part to Nad Sylvan’s singing and what seems to be him living the part. The shear power and gusto here within had me reaching for some drum sticks. The fiddlers three section is beautifully revised with soprano sax, violin and distorted flute. a shear delight.

A modern musical innovator himself, Steven Wilson is given the opportunity to sing his favourite song from Foxtrot, Can-Utility And The Coastliners. Musically and lyrically written by Steve Hackett himself the song benefits from real orchestral instrumentation. I found this particularly pleasing for a couple of reasons. the first is because i am a recent Steven Wilson convert and the other is that i can hear all of the lyrics as clear as a bell. Something i couldn’t do in the original. yet another highlight in my honest opinion. Listening to these diamond tracks it unearths just how much of an influence Steve Hackett was on the sound of Genesis. Proof of this is Please Don’t Touch. Originally rehearsed by Genesis for the Wind And Wuthering album it was a variation of Unquiet Slumber For The Sleepers. Listening to his 2012 take on it here it makes me rather glad that Genesis rejected it. This is very much Steve Hackett with all of the stops pulled out. awesome stuff.

Blood On The Rooftops in it’s present form as played here has been enjoyed for a few years now by concert goers. Gary O’Toole lending his bluesy tones to it. This is another of the tracks being given the full benefit of orchestral instruments and a new nylon string acoustic intro linking seamless to the original. Such sleepy social comment is briskly awaken by Return Of The Giant Hogweed. Brother John Hackett lending some great scat flute and Flower King Roine Stolt taking the lead with his guitar literally intertwining with Steve Hackett’s legendary style. lee Pomeroy’s bass solid as granite making this a roller-coaster version of a Genesis all time great. To bring the pace down a little, Entangled is given the Revisited treatment with Jakko Jakszyck on singing duties ably backed by Amanda lehmann singing harmonies.  A song about the dream state and co written with Tony Banks this is one of my favourite songs from the Trick Of The Tale album. The tranquility of the song captured beautifully by all concerned here. Very atmospheric and thriving from rejuvenation.

Eleventh earl Of Mar was perhaps one of the songs that i questioned with regard to it’s inclusion. Steve obviously put his heart and soul into it re-recording vocal loops and Nad Sylvan’s extra vocals do give it a little extra bite. However, it didn’t seem as gripping as some of the other songs on the album. I enjoyed the sound of the Rickenbacker 12 string at the Features are burning” point in the song.  Compensation was to be had in the following song Ripples. Oddly enough my least favourite song from Trick Of The Tale, Ripples 2012 has become nothing less than mesmerising due to Amanda lehmann’s sultry delivery. The whole piece turned into a sumptuous and captivating fairy tale. Wonderful. I have to commend Steve Hackett for including talent from different corners of the music industry though retaining a now important element of the Steve Hackett sound such as Amanda.

The three tracks culminating in the climax of Wind And wuthering are all included in sequence here Unquiet Slumber For The Sleepers, In That Quiet Earth, and of course Afterglow. There is some interesting things been done here. Firstly Unquiet Slumbers has more depth probably down to the eerie way that the synthesiser sound has been ghosted with vocal samples which adds another dimension and gains in clarity have been made with the following piece In That Quiet Earth, this is down to Steve using one guitar instead of three. gary O’Toole’s drums drive this piece along with the assistance of Rob Townsend’s manic soprano sax replacing the original  synthesiser. Afterglow sounds better for having John Wetton’s voice on it. Mr Wetton lends gravitas to this song which i always felt in it’s original form to be weak. A triumph especially with the re-recording of the Rickenbacker twelve string.

Leaving the Genesis songs behind, the last three songs on the album are from steve’s own back catalogue though have links with his former band. A Tower Struck Down written by John Hackett appeared on Steve’s first solo album and had input from Mike Rutherford. With the aid of new technology and recording technology This infamous show stopper sounds a little more aggressive, punchy and cohesive. Another worthy recipient of the revisited II treatment. Yet another song intended for Genesis was Camino Royale. Great to see Nick Magnus back to lend a hand with updating keyboard sounds on this now live standard. I much prefer this new and fresh approach to Camino Royale the middle section of which is given a different slant by Hungarian fusionists Djabe. Muted trumpet by Ferenc Kovacs and piano by Zoltan Kovac breathes new life into the piece making it much more interesting.

They say you should always leave the best till last and this applies here too. Written with Mike Rutherford part of which was rehearsed for the Foxtrot sessions shadow Of The Heiraphant in this form has recently become a live favourite with many Steve Hackett fans. Not least i would suspect due to Amanda Lehmann bringing new life to the piece and for many including myself really believe that she has injected new life into great Steve Hackett standard.There are many media options available. from Mp3 to vinyl depending on your needs and budget. I have already ordered my vinyl copy and will post my findings at a later date.

There will no doubt be cynics that will not reach out to the benefits of re-recording and resurrecting such classic Genesis pieces. I would urge the putting to one side of any such prejudice and listen with an open mind. If you allow such positivity you will be rewarded three fold. The whole Revisited II project will be toured in 2013 and frankly i can’t wait. This is the most important thing Steve has done for many years and assures his status as one of the most important musicians in Progressive music past present and future. These seventeen classic Genesis masterpieces serve to remind us of the foundations of modern progressive music. they could not have been left in more capable hands.

Format options…….

Mp3 £8.00

16 bit Download £10.00

24 bit Download £12.00

Double CD Media book £14.00

Vinyl four LP+2CD set £45.00

All available from www.hackettsongs.com  webstore.

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ReGenesis Tony Patterson

When i say that ReGenesis are the best tribute band i have seen with regard to Genesis i mean this by quite a large margin and for a very good reason. Where as some other tribute acts throw thousands of pounds at getting everything as authentic as possible ( in some cases actually buying original props and stage sets ) to the point of perfection they lose out on the essence of the original music. This is where ReGenesis win head and shoulders above their peers. The gig last night ( Saturday 13th October 2012 ) at Fibbers in York was testament to this. The attention to detail wasn’t in the presentation or mimicking note perfect Messrs Gabriel, Banks, Hackett, Rutherford and Collins but the spirit of genesis as they actually would have been at the time of performing their early work.

Was there any surprises? there certainly was. With the tour being dubbed Foxtrot at forty it was obvious from the outset that the now famous album would be played in it’s entirety and it was. Getting things underway with Return Of The Giant Hogweed the band showed their mettle from the outset. The surprise came when the band thrust into a very entertaining rendition of harold The Barrel closely followed by Stagnation. The acoustic guitar playing throughout these early pieces were absolutely beautiful and added to the organic approach that ReGenesis have to reproducing classic and well loved Genesis pieces. The Musical Box was a joy and the first of the costume appearances with the old man mask. This added both humour and theatre to the proceedings which the crowd appreciated to the nth degree.

Doug Melbourne Boards man extaordinair

by the time the band got round to playing the Foxtrot set the crowd were well and truly warmed up and enjoying every second as be-told by the looks on their faces and the participation. many of them pre-empting lyrics and generally singing along. Watcher Of The Skies was played with aplomb as was the rest of the Foxtrot set. However, what captured my attention was can utility And The Coastliners which i thought absolutely staggering. Andy Gray’s crisp acoustic guitar heralding the chiming and haunting Horizons which in turn following a timekeeping pause lead the crowd all the way through the alll important Suppers Ready. Throughout Suppers Ready it is easy to become fixated on Tony Patterson’s costume changes, flute playing and of course singing. what struck me was the sheer power of the band and Doug Melbourne’s fluid keyboard playing.

Finishing such a fabulous set wasn’t going to let off without an encore and the waiting crowd were rewarded with The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway/Broadway Melody Of 1974 and I Know What I Like complete with tambourine antics. It was refreshing to see how well attended the gig was and spied a member of Mostly Autumn in the crowd singing along to his favourite songs. A fantastic evening which left a good feeling in my heart all the way home. It reminded me of just how good and innovating the early incarnation of Genesis was and in this very rare case i have to pay tribute to the tributee’s. I would suggest that if you didn’t get the chance to see Genesis at their peak i would heartily recommend you try and get to one of the remaining shows. Five star performance.

Set list…………

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Spock’s Beard are without doubt one of the best live bands i have seen and my views of their latest album X are well documented elsewhere in the album reviews section. However, playing live is much more their forte. Under scrutiny here is the limited edition delux version which includes two CD’s and a DVD. CD one contains the songs from X whilst Cd two is the second half of the show containing some older gems. The DVD is good as a visual document of the X shows, however, it does give the impression of being a warm up gig.

In the light of recent events with regard to Nick DeVigilio’s departure for pastures new the DVD really is a good keepsake to have. That said, picture quality is best described as adequate. I see a trend developing here. We had similar views of the recent Steve Hackett live CD/DVD package. This does not detract in any way from a fine performance which holds some great vocal harmonies and at times highly charged moments.

Whilst the CD’s are a better option for the hi-fi lovers amongst us favouring overall sound quality, the DVD is a more enjoyable event bringing the extra impetus to a great gig. The stage is littered with all the things that make prog so special, Moog’s, Mellotron’s, huge drum kit and other paraphernalia. Yet for all that there seems to be a kind of sparsity about the proceedings. Lights and such like seem to have been cut back to a minimum. this is made up for in spades by the sheer raw energy by all involved. Ryo Okumoto is as ever a joy to watch though it has to be said that it would be hard to choose the man of the match such is the high standard of each musician.

Kicking off with “edge Of The In-Between” NDV was in fine form and along with being a mijor talent will be a major loss to the band. Highlights from the X album here were without doubt Ryo’s “Kamikazi” “TheQuiet House” and the concluding X song “Jaws Of Heaven”.  The beginning of the second half of the show was left to NDV and tour drummer/backing singer Jimmy keegan displaying their percussive skills moving between drum kit and floor and hitting everything in beween with their sticks. I wasn’t so impressed with such gimmickry and relieved when the opening bars of “On A Perfect ” rang out. This for me was easily the best song of the whole DVD though it was followed closely by “The Doorway”.

The DVD also contains an extra track “Their Names Escape Me” which is very enjoyable. Packaging and presentation is to the usual SB standard and a must for any fan, even more so for any serious Prog fan who basks in the pomposity and excesses that comes with the territory. There is little finess about the performance and having watched it for at least three times it becomes apparent that it benefits from just that. Of the DVD’s i reached for lately when i needed a fix, it was this one. I have no hesitation in recommending this excellent package. Of the negetivities raised none would put me off buying a copy, indeed i would suggest that the extra money spent over the CD only version is a necessity. If you have never taken time to explore the vertues of Spock’s Beard this would be a good place to start. the next chapter of their history will be filled with intrigue.

Available from www.mascotlabelgroup.com and costs 15 Euro’s

From the outset i both enjoyed and despised this splendid publication as it is the book that i would love have written myself. The book is well researched, presented and concise. It is very pleasing to read fact and opinion without the usual high brow references to the pomposity and eccentricities of Prog. This is due to the enthusiasm and passion of author Stephen Lambe. Stephen is best known for organising the fabulous summer’s End festival every year confirming his commitment and love for prog and all of it’s derivatives. he is without doubt one of the leading expert on the subject.

Stephen describes his writings as more of a personal history with the hope of striking a few chords with other fans. to this end he has without any doubt been successful. Although i may have been listening to Prog and attending gigs a few years before Stephen we seem to have trodden a similar path. The whole feel of this book is that of being written by a caring enthusiast rather than a journalist such is the attention to detail. This book is designed to be informative about an often derided subject which should assist novices to find out more about prog or inform established fans of bands and music of which they know very little or nothing about.

I especially appreciated that band histories like Pink Floyd et al are omitted instead opting for occasional references to particular happenings or facts. Further reading is suggested instead of such forays into a band or artiste’s past. Views and reviews of cult, classic and essential Prog albums are covered with aplomb and even subjects like keyboard technology and cover art are described to an appropriate degree. As well as the origins of Progressive rock, other influences , styles and bands are all given lineage with equal attention given to all era of the genre and corresponding exponents. The influence of American, Swedish, Eastern block and European bands are all described prompting further investigation.

Even the analysis of lyrics from a classic Yes album and utilisation of concepts fall under scrutiny. A very refreshing take of such subjects. There are some wonderful pictures included within some of which were donated by Prog photographic luminary Neil Palfreyman. Stephen lambe’s excellent handbook of Prog dotted some of the i’s and crossed many of the t’s with regard to area’s unexplored. As such i would recommend this fine coffee table adornment to both die hard Prog fans and those seeking further enlightenment. However, on a personal note, i feel cheated out of writing such a book though i have to admit, i could’nt have put it better myself.

Publishers: Ambereley. Cost £16:99

www.citizensofhopeandglory.co.uk

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Steve hackett

The Sage in Gateshead is without doubt one of the best venues in the North East in which to stage any musical event and seems to lend itself perfectly to artists such as Prog icon Steve Hackett. This was the second time that the Progmeister crew had travelled to The Sage as true Hackett devotees the previous occasion risking life and limb in the worst arctic conditions experienced for many years. It was worth it then and more so this time. I make no secret of my respect for Steve Hackett and my passion for his music. I feel that whilst evolving and edging his brand of blues/Prog into a more contempory place he never betrays his roots and holds fast to what many hold dear.

As the house lights died down and the now familier low frequency drones rattled internal organs theHackett brigade slowly took up their battle stations. It wasn’t long before the band were driving out a rousing “Loch Lomond” from his most recent album “Beyond The Shrouded Horizon”. Indeed most of the songs from the new album were played simulteniously, the pattern being broken by “Golden Age Of Steam” and then returning briefly to more recent times with “Fire On The Moon”. It was very difficult to pick out high points of the evening though i would sight “Every Day”, “Walking Away From Rainbows” and “Shadow Of The Hierophant” as being exceptional. Amanda Lehmann makes the latter something very special indeed lending to it a purity and delicate precursor to it’s protracted and dramatic finale

There was something there for all in attendance whether he or she be a genesis fan or a newcomer to the genre. All that can be said is that r Hackett had all bases covered. The core of his touring band remained rock steady and being quietly magnificent allowing Steve to remain the figurehead of great musical tour de force. Whist the last tour was a refeshing move away from Steve’s tried and tested stage performance i was of the opinion that Nick Beggs who is himself a hugely talented individual robbed Steve of some of his hard earned kudos. The addition of lee Pomeroy to this finely honed band playing bass and associated weaponry was a master stroke. Lee fitted seemlesly into the already well established touring band. Gary O’Toole’s drums drove the band through an electrifying gig as did Rob Townsend’s finesse and deft of hand. Roger King’s keyboard were a little too far back in the mix for my liking though his contribution to such events can never be too understated.

Chatting to steve backstage after the gig it was evident that he was wrestling with a cold and visibly tired so we kept things brief before hitting the night air. Steve was in good spirits though and shared a glass of wine with us all before he left. On this occasion i took my son James to whom Steve Hackett as been a hero since the age of ten. It was a very proud moment for me as without Steve Hackett’s influence james would not have been the great guitarist he is.

At 62 years old Steve Hackett shows no signs of slowing down or standing still. I am sure that all in attendance at The Sage that night will attest to an amazing performance by a a legend that still has his feet on the floor aand time for his many fans. one of the best gigs i have been to for a while.

Thanks to Brendan eyre for pictures.

It has taken us some time since we received The Tangent’s “Going Off On Two DVD to get round to reviewing it. One of the reasons is because it was so favourably reviewed by other excellent sites elsewhere that we could say little else to recommend it highly enough. Falling as we have so in love with Comm album in its different formats, we simply couldn’t ignore such a visual document and share our views too.

The packaging of the DVD and CD is as ever exemplary bringing so beautifully up to date where The Tangent’s previous DVD/CD package left off, a big up once again for Ed Unitsky who once again lends his deft of hand to the artwork. Where “Going Off On Two” differs from its predecessor is that all songs are played in the absence of an audience. Whilst  shedding some of the previous contributors The Tangent 2011acquit themselves very well, indeed, throughout this pleasing Old Grey Whistle Test style performance filmed in sunny Stockport  the shear musical talent and musical prowess on display supports fully Sir Elton’s views about the whole X-Factor debacle and its proliferation of karaoke singers and their likes.

As well as old favourites like “A Sale Of Two Souls” and “GPS Culture/The Music That Died Alone”, The DVD majors on songs from the bands “Down And Out In Paris And London” album. However, a song from the then forthcoming “Comm” album is included with a blinding rendition of “The Minds eye”. The event could be described as intimate and forthright with Andy Tillison’s by now Manfred Mann style of playing and Rupert Hind vocal exploits leading the latest incarnation of the band into a storming version of “Where Are They Now”. What strikes you from the outset is the amazing guitar of young beau Luke Machin whose youth and vitality injects new life into an already top of the range Prog outfit.

I became totally immersed in the studio session feel about the whole performance and found myself playing a variety of air instruments total enthralled by The Tangent’s virtuosity. Working their way through “Perdu Dans Paris” and “Paroxetine 20mg” the band give a fresh coat of varnish to the afore mentioned Tangent standards before concluding the set with “In Darkest Dreams including After Pheadra”. Complete with some colourful psychedelic visuals this particular piece showcases both  musical and technical skill of Mr Tillison laying bare his passion for electronic composition as well as progs more demanding time signatures and speed playing.

The Tangent for this particular event comprise Andy Tillison (Keyboards) Luke Machin (Guitars) Jonathan Barrett (Bass) Theo Travis (Flutes & saxophone) and Tony Latham (Drums) With only a few coloured lights and minimal production interference this really is a warts and all testament that The tangent are at the top of their game. Watching Tony Latham in what appears to be pair of PJ bottoms assault’s his drums with authority is a joy, he never seems fully taxed by the complexity of the music yet beats out a storm.

So as not to miss what other members of the band are doing at such close quarters, some useful split screen sequences allow you to view the complete band at a glance in their own setting. The extras included on the DVD are a techie’s dream. The band interviews each other to discuss their chosen weapons, sundries and techniques whilst sharing their views to the camera about many different subjects. Andy Tillison’s views were particularly enlightening and I found the DVD extras give insight to the band in their present form.

As I write, The Tangent have just returned from a mini tour of Russia. Further proof that since releasing Comm the boys are now in a position to conquer new continents, growing a larger fan base and raising the bar for their peers. Until you can catch the band in concert I would suggest you give yourself a taster of just what you’re in for by purchasing a copy of “Going Off On Two”. The DVD comes with a CD of the performance for those of us who enjoy listening in the car or via other media. It too is rather good. For any prog fan this is a must, for all Tangent fans it is essential.

Available at all good outlets £12.99 inc P+P

www.thetangent.org