ProgPower UK 2006
25 March 2006
The Centaur Arena, Cheltenham Racecourse
The inaugural ProgPower UK was deemed a unanimous success by everyone I spoke to during a hugely enjoyable day at the very impressive Centaur Arena. With a turn-out of just under a thousand, it was an impressive start for the festival. Of course the band`s formed the main attraction and each and every one of them put in impressive displays.
The honour of opening the show fell to Gus G and his Firewind mob. This was also the first time the band had appeared live with their new line-up featuring Mark Cross on the drums and new singer Apollo Papathanasio. With his shorter hair, Apollo cut a very different figure to his predecessor Chitty, but equalled him in enthusiasm. Vocally I had to rate Apollo as the better, possessing a classic rock voice with some real soul.
Guitar hero Gus G has always seemed more comfortable with Firewind than the plethora of other acts he has appeared with and his skills form the centre of attention during a powerful set. Not to be out done, keyboard player Bob Katsionis sped around his keyboard, positioned in what is now becoming obligatory tilted forward position.
The band covered all three of their albums, though there seemed to be a heavier focus on Burning Earth. Stand out moments included opener Steal Them Blind and Beware The Beast, though it was instrumental The Fire & The Fury that had me on my tiptoes checking out Gus`s fretwork. New material boded well for the band`s next album.
Firewind set list:
Steal Them Blind / I Am The Anger / Beware The Beast / Into Pieces / Fire And The Fury / Drum Solo / Between Heaven And Hell / Brother`s Keeper / Insanity / Tyranny
Italy`s Secret Sphere made their UK debut next. Augmented by female backing singer Gabriella Martinelli, with seven bodies on stage things looked rather busy compared to the preceding Firewind and perhaps that limited space explained why Secret Sphere came across more static.
Whilst not running round the stage the band were incredibly tight and seemed taken a back by the crowd`s response, particularly since a good portion seemed familiar with the band`s material. Rain gave vocalist Ramon Messina chance to show us how high his voice can climb, which would seem to be an Italian trait. Interestingly he seemed to reach the peaks more comfortably than had appeared on the band`s recorded material.
The highpoint of the set had to be Leonardo Da Vinci, though fair to say the band put in a great performance and certainly would have won over some new fans today.
Secret Sphere set list:
Where The Sea Ends / Loud & Raw / Dance With The Devil / Legend / Rain / Age Of Wizard / Leonardo Da Vinci / Lady Of Silence
I had really been looking forward to seeing the inventive Orphaned Land who really presented something different and unique on today`s bill. The band wear their Israeli heritage on their sleeves, or more correctly poncho in vocalist Kobi Farhi`s case. Farhi, who`s a dead ringer for comedian Phil Kaye, certainly held the crowd`s attention and conducted them through the "Na-na-na-na" chanting.
The band opted for a set made mostly of their more up-tempo material in a complete contrast apparently to the chilled acoustic show they had played at the warm up show the previous night. That energy transferred to the crowd when Farhi ordered them to jump during Halo Dies.
Occasionally the sampled traditional instrumentation had me recalling an entry from the Eurovision Song Contest, and whilst that might sound derogatory it really does work. Orphaned Land put in a very enjoyable set and really added some variety to the day.
Orphaned Land set list:
Ocean Land / El Meod Naala / Kiss Of Babylon / Call To Awake / Birth Of The Three / Halo Dies / Thee By The Father I Pray / Norra El Norra / Ornaments Of Gold
Hands up here, I`m not the biggest fan of Freedom Call. The band out-Helloween Helloween these days which is no bad thing. It`s just I cringe when the parp-ing keyboards kick in, today handled by stand in Eero Kaukomies. This is obviously down to my personal tastes as the band went down a storm and put in a fantastic performance.
Frontman Chris Bay is very much cut from the same cloth as Kai Hansen, commanding proceedings from centre stage and often pausing from playing his guitar to offer outstretched arms to the crowd. The rest of what is largely a new band seemed to be thoroughly enjoying entertaining the ProgPower UK crowd with some happy power metal anthems and I leave them to it in order to check out the metal market.
Freedom Call set list:
Warriors / We Are One / Hero Nation / Hunting High & Low / Metal Invasion / Mother Earth / Land Of Light / Freedom Call
Pagan`s Mind`s latest album Enigmatic:Calling seems to have taken up permanent residence on my ipod`s most visited playlist. With this release, the band have really started to forge their own sound which in the past was at times very close to Dream Theater. Friends have pointed to a Crimson Glory comparison with equally rich melodies and the high pitch vocals of Nils K Rue.
Having missed the band at last year`s Sweden Rock due to a trip to the local hospital (woops!), I had looked forward to this appearance and they didn`t disappoint. The crunch of Celestine Prophecy kicked things off with Jørn Viggo Lofstad possessing a crisp guitar sound to die for. In fact despite Rue being the most animated member of the five piece, it was Lofstad who grabbed my attention. His wonderfully fluid guitar playing is made to look more impressive by the casual manner in which he seemingly effortlessly floats across his fretboard. Matching him note for note through some of those runs is keyboardist Ronny Tegner and the pair`s interaction is one of the band`s many strengths.
Those that spent time with me at Prog Power will be aware I was enjoying the day with a few beers and it`s a testament to the strength of Pagan`s Mind set that I stood transfixed for the duration. If this sounds like over praise, it`s not, as watching these five incredibly musicians in tune with each other and their own material forged the high point of the day for me.
Pagan`s Mind set list:
Celestine Prophecy / Aegean Shores / Entrance To Infinity / Back to the Magic of Childhood Part 2 / Osiris Eyes / Enigmatic Mission / New World Order
As much as I like Threshold I had doubts they could follow Pagan`s Mind`s performance, however, whilst not bettering them, they certainly put in an enjoyable set. Apparently the band were rather nervous themselves having not hit the stage for 18 months, but it must be like riding a bike to Threshold as any rustiness was not visible. At times in fact it was just like watching Threshold`s live dvd.
In a way, this set reminded me of seeing Paradise Lost earlier this year. Not that the bands sound similar, but both put in solid really enjoyable performances which don`t require frills. In fact where it is obvious the members of Threshold could veer off into more technical territory, the band are economical with the song being king.
Picking favourites across the nine song set is difficult, but stand-out moments included Oceanbound, Long Way Home and the singalong to Fragmentation.
Threshold set list:
Mission Profile / Oceanbound / Opium / Pressure / Falling Away / Long Way Home / The Latent Gene / Light And Space / Fragmentation
What a spectacle Therion were! The band were great at their London show last year when crammed onto the tiny Garage stage, but with the space they had tonight really was the way to experience Therion.
I wasn`t quite sure who would be providing lead male and female vocals with Mats Leven and Karin Fjellander taking leave at some of Therion`s recent gigs. However it was great to see both present tonight. The contrast between Fjellander`s trained operatic range and Leven`s rock vocals works perfectly and their contrasting stage personas also gel.
If Orphaned Land had presented something different, then Therion really presented something different. This was more of a spectacle the a gig and I could have probably taken my non-metal loving parents along. The mass orchestration and powerful choir vocals of The Rise Of Sodom & Gomorrah was a statement of things to come and during some of the more rousing moments I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.
As if the stage wasn`t busy enough, Theion were joined by two belly dancers for the occasion who reappeared with Egyptian style wings for The Seven Secrets Of The Sphinx.
Revisiting the notes I had taken during the set I was very puzzled to read "I am a homosexual and I take it up the bum!". Not doubting my own sexuality I eventually recalled that this was Christopher Johnsson`s explanation of what a one fingered salute means in Sweden, in response to some idiot down the front. Prior to that Johnsson had confirmed that tonight would be his final night providing shouted vocals. As a sign-off, Therion powered through Riders Of Theli.
Unsurprisingly To Mega Therion closed the set and Prog Power UK, but not before a full band introduction, bow and ovation fitting of a West End Show.
Therion set list:
Rise Of Sodom And Gomorrah / Ginnungagap / The Blood Of Kingu / Uthark Runa / Invocation Of Naamah / Typhon / Seven Secrets Of The Sphinx / Asgard / Riders Of Theli / The Siren Of The Woods / Black Sun / Wine Of Aluqah / Cults Of The Shadow / To Mega Therion
LINKS:
ProgPower UK
Therion
Threshold
Pagan`s Mind
Freedom Call
Orphaned Land
Secret Sphere
Firewind
|
