Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : Banco del Mutuo Soccorso

This is what it's all about! Symphonic prog at its best. The British might have invented Prog, but the Italians perfected it. Banco's Io Sono Nato Libero is one of the best compositions of all the ages. Even without Francesco Di Giacomo's operatic voice, Di Terra proved to be a strong album as well.

Unlike many other groups the same age, Banco is just as good today as they were thirty years ago. Francesco's vocals are still as powerful as they ever were. As is Vittorio Nocenzi's skills at the keys. The biggest surprise was wind player Alessandro Papotto perfectly quoting Rhapsody in Blue and then utterly slaying his instrument--musically speaking.

There were chops galore. And heart lifting melodies. By the end, I wanted to go down and give Francesco a bear hug.

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : echolyn

echolyn's Suffocating The Bloom is one of my favorite albums of all times, one of the best albums of nineties Prog. Brett Kull's unique guitar tones--Chris Buzby's colorful keys--Paul Ramsey's jawdropping drumming--Tom Hyatt's fantastic bass--all exemplified Americanized Prog at its best. Counterpoint galore! And let's not leave out Ray Weston's dynamic vocal range, and how well it harmonizes with Brett's voice.

Their commercial follow up, As The World, pales in comparison, but it does have its moments of glory. Unfortunately, after their breakup and reunion, I was never able to get into their later music. Perhaps a little too close to 'modern/alt' rock for my taste.
At Nearfest, I don't think they were able to measure up to their studio sound. However, it could've been where I sat--up in the balcony again, in the last row. Sometimes the vocals were muddled below the mix and Ray and Brett did not seem to harmonize.
Still, Entry 11.19.03 was pretty good. The line " The mail was late again today" always gets to me.

Nearfest 08 -> Sunday : Mörglbl

Chris Godin showed himself a grandmaster of guitar, a mix of Steve Vai meets Alan Holdsworth meets Jan Akkerman. Six string bassist Ivan Rougny and drummer Aurelien Ouzoulias were up to par as well. While my attention drifted during some songs, their piece Tapas Nocturne was one of the best of the weekend.

Their musicianship is topnotch, but it is their humor and congeniality that won my heart. Mörglbl shatters all those stupid stereotypes about rude Frenchmen. Ties and bare feet--that sums them up perfectly.

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Liquid Tension Experiment

Though I have their first album, I wasn't aware that Liquid Tension Experiment were considered prog metal. Seeing them live, there's no doubt. I'm not a big fan of prog metal in general, but they are an exception. Hands down, Tony Levin was the best bass player at Nearfest--no surprise there. And, of course, if you're a drummer, Mike Portnoy needed no introduction. John Petrucci played heavy licks with technical finesse, but also revealed a softer side. Jordan Rudess only played on ONE keyboard that swiveled 360, but he was outstanding.

My attention did start to drift after a while. If they used the heavier elements sparingly, their compositions and improv would stand out more. The music would have more power. However, at the end, it was their take on Rhapsody In Blue that won me over. If George Gershwin was rolling in his grave--he was rocking'n'rolling. Move over Gershwin and give Bernstein the news...

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Peter Hammill

Of course, Peter Hammill has been very influential on music in general, and his group Van Der Graaf Generator is a prog giant. So it was an honor to finally see him live.

He sang and played "unplugged", just him and his piano, and on occasion his guitar. As in VDGG, he has his trademark dynamics punctuated with distinctive pauses. Seeing him distilled from VDGG was interesting for a while, but then I began to crave the more rounded experience that his group brings. Perhaps, one day...

Nearfest 08 -> Saturday : Koenji Hyakkei

A veteran of Salma Mammas Manna, Yoshida Tatsuya's drums were blazing. Yabuki Taku's keys were awesome. Samamoto Kengo was no Jannick Top, but he knew how to play the bass. Komori Keiko's reeds provided the finishing touch. In all, the musicianship was top notch.

It was terrible.

While Nami Sagara proved she could sing well within human ranges, albeit operatically, most of her vocals were too high pitched. This group wears their Magma influences on their sleeves, and that's just fine with me. However, they took all the worst vocal aspects from MDK--the screechy section--and stretched it out for two hours. It was cringe worthy. As much as the musicianship and composition was a big plus, the vocals were a far, far bigger minus.

Feeling B.L.U.E: Bruford Levin Upper Extremities

Here's a photo I dug up from nine years ago. Bill Bruford and Tony Levin holding a signing in Of Sound Mind, in support of their album Bruford Levin Upper Extremities.

For any who are drawing a blank, Bill Bruford is a progressive rock legend, the former drummer of Yes, King Crimson, UK, and National Health as well as his own groups, such as B.L.U.E., Earthworks, and Bruford. After Peter Gabriel left Genesis, he also helped Phil Collins on drums for a tour.

And, of course, Tony Levin has been anywhere and everywhere, from King Crimson to Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe (that is, "Yes-East"), to touring with Peter Gabriel, as well as a host of session work. Tony Levin pioneered the use of the stick, a variation of bass guitar that utilizes two handed technique.

That evening, after the signing at Of Sound Mind, they played a great gig at Orion Studios. Bruford Levin Upper Extremities is a good album, mixing the sound of 80's King Crimson with equal parts of jazz, ambient, and experiemental music. David Torn's aggressive guitar looping was a challenge for me originally, however, Chris Botti's smooth trumpet offset and balanced it out. It's an album that can be puzzling at first listen, but it grows on you, and then it becomes addicting.

Ghosts from Progday's Past...

Nope. I haven't done a music related post recently. But since I've dug this up today, I had to share it, even though Progday '08 is nine months from now.

This photo was taken from Progday '98, I believe. And if memory serves me, the idea was to get all the movers and shakers of the east coast Prog scene (concert promoters, those who had prog labels, studios, major vendors) onstage.

The guy in the black shirt is Chris Lamka, who owned Of Sound Mind, a Baltimore store that sold Prog. He still runs a mail order business from his house. To his left was Adam Levin, and to Adam's left, Mike Potter. Both were involved in Orion Studios, which is primarily a music studio. Many showcases were held there (and still are from time to time). To Chris's right is Rob LaDuca, who along with Chad Hutchinson, founded Nearfest--THE best of progfests. Second from the far right is Peter Renfro, founder of Progday, the longest ever running progfest.

Of course, I've missed a few names, but those are the ones I recognize on sight. Who knew that ten years later, I'd share this piece of Prog history on something called a blog?

Nearfest->Saturday : Magenta

And what about England, where Prog got its start? There was Magenta, who hovered in the borderland between symphonic and accessible neo-prog. Chris Fry called to mind shades of Howe and Gilmore, at home with electric or acoustic guitars. Christina Booth had the most beautiful lead vocals all weekend--I couldn’t help but think of Annie Haslam, who it was said was somewhere on the premises. Rob Reed scorched the keys with fat, analog leads accompanied with organ sustains and flourishes of piano.

This was my wife’s favorite act of the show, so much so that she bought one of their CDs. Derivative, some say. Perhaps. But, maybe, they are just what is needed to draw fresh blood into the fanbase.