Innisfree Sports & Social Club, Newcastle
Saturday, 9th March 2024
It was certainly another great evening of driving, melodic prog rock in the North-East with Franck Carducci returning to the Innisfree Social Club, less than 7 months after their last visit, thanks to the sterling work of promoter Les Routledge. This time there was the added bonus of the North-East melodic prog rockers Stuckfish as support.
STUCKFISH
Stuckfish were at the top of their game and looked completely at home on the large stage. With an excellent sound system on the night, they certainly impressed the large and responsive audience with a varied selection across all three of the albums. Starting with the melodic rock of Breathe and then Calling, they built up a nice head of steam, before an excellent version of their atmospheric and ever-popular The Bridge (That Spans The Edge of Time) showed off their progressive credentials to the full.
Phil Stuckey, resplendent in top hat, looked every part the circus ringmaster as the band dusted off the sinister waltz-like Painted Smile, with Phil Morey’s lyrical bass and Adam Sayer’s pulsating drums anchoring everything wonderfully. New song, Lifeline, had a dynamic exuberance and the band continue to grow into it, with some nice transitions mid-way, which bodes well for the fourth album, due to be released later this year. Gary Holland on keyboards, for his second last show, played expressively throughout and captured the flute sections on Fallen Angels perfectly, with Ade Fisher’s stunning guitar solo towards the end a real highlight as well.
The drama and stately march of Days of Innocence was followed by a welcome reappearance of the epic ebb and flow of Silvaner – which proved a powerful one-two hit with the ever impressive The Watcher. Phil Stuckey’s clear, dramatic vocals weaved their magic throughout the whole set – one of the very best I’ve seen them perform over the years. Given the applause of the audience throughout the hall, it was a performance that hopefully has won over even more fans for this gem of band on their home turf.
Breathe
Calling
The Bridge (That Spans The Edge of Time)
Painted Smile
Lifeline
Fallen Angels
Days of Innocence
Silvanir
The Watcher
Phil Stuckey – Vocals
Ade Fisher – Guitar
Phil Morey – Bass
Gary Holland – Keyboards
Adam Sayers – Drums
FRANCK CARDUCCI & THE FANTASTIC SQUAD
Franck Carducci, and his wonderful band of troubadours, once again gave an exceptional performance to his North-East fans, and many more who had travelled up the length and breadth of the country to see their unique blending of progressive rock and head-on rock ‘n’ roll with psychedelic overtones.
Earlier, they had treated many fans to a delightful, intimate, acoustic set in the VIP lounge, with both Mary Reynaud and Franck performing a number of songs solo and a duo, before the rest of the band provided harmonies at the end. However, on the main stage later they showed why they are one of the very best and hardest working live group on the prog circuit. Musically they impress every time I see them, but the way it is all intertwined with their consummate showmanship and vibrant stage presence – with their usual stunning visual set-pieces, driving ensemble work and smiles aplenty – that is truly life-affirming.
Starting with a thunderous Slave to Rock ‘n’ Roll, followed by a well-integrated amalgam of A Brief Tale of Time and Achilles, they really hit the ground running. Franck remains a charismatic frontman for this rock ‘n’ roll circus, on vocals, bass and guitar, trading licks with the whirl of energy that is Barth Sky on lead guitar, while Cedric Selzer shapes the whole sound with his expressive, lyrical keyboards. Mary Reynaud’s alluring stage presence and vocals are highlighted by her flowing, feverish, rainbow streamer dancing on Ennio Morricone’s The Ecstasy of Gold.
I saw The Betrayal of Blue debuted back in late 2021 at HRH Prog X, and it has grown to be one of the cornerstones of their live show. The heart-felt ecological lyrics and musical light and shade all climax with Mary’s sensual theremin playing, creating an atmospheric, melancholic and thoughtful conclusion. The Limits of Freedom is a new song that certainly impressed, along with the return of the truly epic Artificial Paradises, showing the instrumental complexity and sumptuous vocals of the band.
Franck eased things down nicely with a beautiful, acoustic guitar-led solo performance of another new song, Sweet Cassandra, before the dark majesty of Mary’s The Angel, with her multi-coloured wings, beaming lasers and haunting, siren-like vocals casting a hypnotic, magical spell over the audience in the hall.
In the ever-smiling Lea Fernandez, Franck really has a drummer, par-excellence, who consistently drives the beat through every shifting tempo, and after her dynamic drum solo, Torn Apart and the ever-popular Alice’s Eerie Dream, with Franck now the Mad Hatter to Mary’s wayward Alice, really took the enthusiastic crowd up to an even higher level. Love or Survive then rounded off the main set off very satisfyingly.
Not the end, though! A high voltage version of Led Zeppelin’s Rock and Roll had the hall dancing and swaying along, before the usual group-based, acapella charm of On The Road To Nowhere ensured everyone went away fully sated and to rapturous applause.
Another quality show from a band that the UK has taken to its hearts. If you haven’t seen this band before, please rectify that gap in your musical live musical experience as soon as you can!
[Photos by Chris Simmons Photography]
SETLIST
Slave to Rock ‘n’ Roll
A Brief Tale of Time
Achilles
The Ecstasy of Gold
The Betrayal of Blue
The Limits of Freedom
Sweet Cassandra
The Angel
Drum Solo
Torn Apart
Alice’s Eerie Dream
Love or Survive
~ Encore:
Rock and Roll
On The Road To Nowhere
MUSICIANS
Franck Carducci – Vocals, Bass, Guitars
Mary Reynaud – Vocals, Guitar, Theremin, Percussion
Barth Sky – Lead Guitar
Cedric Selzer – Keyboards
Lea Fernandez – Drums