Williams Center, Rutherford, NJ, USA
Thursday 17th to Sunday 20th October 2024
Occurring a week later than is customary, Progstock 2024 was welcomed by both a larger than usual crowd and unusually warm and sunny weather for late October. As happens with such festivals, headliners Six By Six were forced to cancel their debut live performance when guitarist Ian Crichton broke his leg. Saga, one of the other headliners, had to deal with not only Crichton’s absence but vocalist/keysman Michael Sadler’s recent illness. Still, despite the band drama, the requisite sound issues, and a schedule that stubbornly refused to hew to the designated times, Progstock 2024 might just have been the best version of the festival to date.
As usual, there were plenty of distractions aside from the main stage acts. Synth wiz Robeone held court on the plaza all weekend as guests, including Discipline’s Matthew Parmenter, stopped by to jam. Artists Michael Bennett and Victoria Flowers joined Progstock’s artist in residence Paul Whithead to supply a visual complement to the music. Pumpkin sculptor Deane Arnold also made a welcome return, and Jimmy Keegan, hot on the heels of his first solo album, emceed the entire weekend.
THURSDAY
Opening on Thursday night with Genesis Tribute band Abacab, the crowd was treated to some fine renditions of classic Genesis, including a good chunk of The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway. Impressive musicians one and all, a special mention must be given to vocalist Pete Lents, whose range is impressive. He is no mimic, but rather imbues both the Gabriel and Collins era tunes with his own take on vocal artistry.
A pro-am session followed, with audience members performing prog and prog-adjacent tunes alongside the likes of guitarist Mike Keneally. Note to the vocalists who joined the fray – be sure you can actually sing the songs before you hit the stage.
FRIDAY
Friday afternoon began with a tribute to Richard Macphail, who was supposed to appear to tell tales from his storied career. Instead, we heard video tributes to the recently deceased man from contemporaries, such as Steve Hackett. A sad but ultimately uplifting tribute. The first performance of the day brought the ubiquitous Rachel Flowers back to the stage to kick off the festival proper. Relying heavily on her new album of solo piano improvisations, In The Moment, the half hour set also featured a couple vocal tunes, including a richly harmonized duet with vocalist Jann Klose.
After a short break, Kyros took the stage. Exhibiting more energy than is usual for a prog gig, the band rode the wave of eighties-inspired synth-heavy tunes to the audience’s delight. Funky bass, disco drums and sequencers are not what you might expect, but Kyros made it all feel perfectly natural. From opener Digital Fear to set ender UNO Attack, the band did a fantastic job of representing their repertoire and their skill levels. That Kyros was having a great time was never in doubt, and that sentiment carried over to the audience. Even their power ballads smoulder with prog intensity. Guitarist Joe E. Frevola and vocalist/keyboardist Shelby Logan Warne have the sort of chemistry that cannot be created in a lab, trading moves, looks and moments of pure exhilaration. The audience sang Happy Birthday to a seemingly embarrassed drummer Robin Johnson before the band closed with an R&B workout that elevated the fun quotient through the roof.
Guitarist Mike Keneally, subbing for Patrick Moraz – another casualty of illness – performed a solo set prior to the Friday night headliner which featured his six string prowess alongside his piano and vocal skills. Everything from music hall to guitar heroics found its way into the all-too-brief performance, but the highlight was when bassist Matt Dorsey (Sound of Contact) and drummer Jimmy Keegan (Spocks Beard and emcee for the weekend) joined for a brutally rocking improvised jam. Luckily, Keneally will be appearing with his band Beer For Dolphins in 2025.
Another set change and the David Cross Band came out swinging with the crunch and metal of Tonk. The Great Deceiver and Red were both opportunities for John Mitchell (guitar) and Mick Paul (bass, vocals) to put their own stamps on the Crimson classics, and they did not disappoint. Sheila Maloney (keyboards, vocals) and David Cross (violin, vocals) introduced The Pool with a gentle Oriental flair; when the full band unleashed the power of the song, Cross contributed a solo that was beautifully heart breaking. Rollercoaster epic Calamity preceded the highly anticipated performance of this writer’s favourite King Crimson album, the entire Larks Tongues In Aspic in its original running order. Three kalimbas introduced the deceptively calm opening measures of LTIA Pt. I. Another violin/keys duet signaled that this was not a copy of the album; rather it was an interpretation by one who was there at its creation. Mitchell took a vocal turn on Book Of Saturday before the band took Exiles into improvisatory heaven, doubling the recorded length. Mitchell (is there a band he does not contribute to?) sang lead on Easy Money and took an extended solo which filled the theatre. Talking Drum was preceded by another exciting improv before yielding to an incendiary version of LTIA Pt. II. As if that were not enough to leave the audience breathless, the band encored with a version of Starless that tore down whatever was left of the house.
SATURDAY
Saturday morning began with two competing events – a listening party with Funhouse Mirrors for their new album Red Bird and a Q+A with Steve “H” Hogarth. Having recently reviewed the former, I opted to attend the latter. Hosted by Michael and Seren Sadler, responses to questions from the attendees were frequently fielded by both H and Sadler. Plenty of amusing anecdotes made the hour plus fly by in the blink of an eye. When the music started up, it was IO Earth mainstays Dave Cureton (guitar/vocals) and Adam Gough (guitar/keyboards) performing an emotional set following the loss of their studio in a fire earlier this year. Mike Keneally joined the duo for a rendition of Home, melting hearts with their exquisite guitar duet. Another set change and young Utah band Advent Horizon hit the stage. From crushing rock to sensitive piano balladry, the band seemed to cover the spectrum. If Kyros were a bundle of energy, bandleader/guitarist/vocalist Rylee McDonald was positively acrobatic, dancing (and falling), headbanging, and leaping off the stage like a madman. Although representing the heavier end of the musical spectrum, there were plenty of hooks, catchy melodies and pop sensibilities to be found. Four vocalists helped soften the rougher edges of the music, which comprised the entirety of new album, A Cell To Call Home. Sax player Jamison Smeltz joined the band for a couple tunes. My only complaint, and I may have expressed this before, is the liberal use of backing tracks in live performance. The stage version of a song does not have to be a carbon copy of the recording; if anything, I find the use of recorded music during performance distracting.
The crystalline harmonies of Melanie Mau and guitarist Martin Schnella, along with those of percussionist Mathias Ruck, have filled the Progstock stage for several years running. Exploring both originals and covers ranging from Uriah Heep’s Rainbow Demon to Rush’s Tom Sawyer, the trio put their voices front and centre, always delivering the goods with grace and aplomb. They are a perfect opener for Circuline, whose new album also puts an emphasis on vocals. It seemed something was amiss in the opening minute, and the band later confirmed that no one’s monitors were working, so they worked off of visual cues and ambient sound.
A testament to the professionalism of the band, they performed with no noticeable issues. Rather than attempt to reproduce every vocal or instrumental nuance, the performance opened up and gave breathing space to each song. Opening with Tempus Horribilis, Circuline drew the audience into its world. The core trio of Andrew Colyer (keys, vocals), Darin Brannon (drums, percussion), and Natalie Brown (vocals, percussion) were augmented by regular contributing bassist Matt Dorsey, album guitarist Dave Bainbridge, and guest vocalist/percussionist Michael Gauvreau. Circuline always brings something new to each tour, and this year along with every member of the band donning a percussion instrument for a drum-off on Say Their Name, Colyer and Bainbridge presented an acoustic set which included snippets of several Circuline songs along with Emerson/Wakeman quotes. The departure of co-lead vocalist Billy Spillane was more than adequately addressed by Gauvreau, who is a powerful and engaging vocalist in his own right, as evidenced by the duet with Brown on Stereotype. Transmission Error closed the set, a fantastic prog epic that allowed every member of the band to shine.
John Mitchell and comic sidekick/guitarist Jez Fielder lightened the mood with amusing stories and songs from Mitchell’s career, including tracks from It Bites, Kino, Frost* and Lonely Robot. A particular moment of levity came when Mitchell told of how someone who purchased a ticket to one of his shows demanded his money back, thinking he was going to see Joni Mitchell, after which the duo performed a bit of Big Yellow Taxi.
By the time Saga hit the stage, the delay was well over two hours. Opening with low-key keyboard instrumental Ice Nice, the band kicked in on second song Careful Where You Step and really started to rock on It Never Ends. A visibly exhausted Michael Sadler left the stage for the next couple songs, leaving keyboardist Jim Gilmour to handle the lead vocals. Sadler returned for Framed and a rollicking version of Amnesia. The band really gelled as Sadler bounced between his keyboard rig and front of stage vocals, but it turned out to be too much for the singer who is recovering from recent surgery. The abbreviated set ended with a rousing Don’t Be Late, the entire audience singing along. Kudos to the band for soldiering on at all under the circumstances, never mind clocking in another fine (if all too short) set.
SUNDAY
Another take-your-pick opener for Sunday with a second Hogarth Q+A and a listening party for the new Stratospheerius album, Imposter, hosted by drummer Jason Gianni. I opted for the latter this time, as well as exploring the merch tables. Phideaux had the honour of beginning the music alongside longtime cohort Mark Sherkus. The duo celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the Ghost Stories album with selections like Kiteman and Beyond The Shadow Of Doubt. Stripped of the band arrangements, the songs took on an intimate feel which suited them well. Before Gong ever hit the stage, it was obvious this would be something different. The front line of microphones was set close to the lip of the stage, rather than several feet back as is customary. With their surreal psychedelic seventies vibe turned up to eleven, the band hit the stage like a sledgehammer and never stopped swinging. From the opening notes of My Guitar Is A Spaceship, the band was in your face in the best possible way. Guitarist/vocalist Kavus Torabi seemed over the moon with the band’s rapturous reception, a smile plastered across his face the entire show. The four vocalists, often singing in unison, added to the circus-like atmosphere. Songs like All Clocks Reset and an incredibly impactful Rejoice! gave off an air of a love-in fueled by LSD and cocaine in equal measure. Drummer Cheb Nettles was a machine, spinning off excitement and energy at an inhuman pace. When the music finally slowed down (relatively speaking), it felt like an endless wait for resolution, an interminable tease. The everywhere-all-at-once Mike Keneally joined for the last few minutes of Master Builder, causing the roof of the theatre to lift off in fear of being blown away, and rightfully so. The three guitarists egged each other on to ever-higher heights, resulting in the Gong performance being one of the most exciting shows I have seen in ages.
It seems the guitarists were all doing double or triple duty this year, and Dave Bainbridge was no exception. He and Sally Minnear presented a set of classic Iona tunes. Minnear’s voice is so clear and beautiful, a perfect foil for Bainbridge’s soaring guitar. In one of the odder juxtapositions of the weekend, the following band was Tu-Ner. Difficult, complex and virtuosic are a few adjectives that come to mind.
Trey Gunn plays his stick flat on his lap, sounding completely different from Markus Reuter, who hews closer to Fripp in tone and texture. Pat Mastelotto managed to use every last bit of his enormous drum kit. Each player sounds like they are doing the work of two men, so the sound is a brick wall to the face. Tu-Ner even played a Stick Men tune, Cusp, just to show how dissimilar they are despite sharing members. Because we are talking about Gunn and Reuter, both Sticks sound like strings, synths, guitar or bass, hardly ever a guitar. They each manage to conjure any sound necessary, creating an otherworldly atmosphere augmented by the best visuals of the weekend. Phenomenal takes on Larks Tongues In Aspic Parts IV and V were marvelous closers to a powerful set.
Michael and Seren Sadler performed a Periphery song with Dorsey and Keegen on bass and drums, respectively. Seren provided guitar and cookie monster vocals, while Michael sat on a stool and sang it straight. This turned out to be the one moment at the festival which seemed completely out of place.
Which leads us to Sunday headliners, Lifesigns, in their first US gig. The twin keys and dual vocals of Freedom opened the set. Animated bassist Jon Poole provided all the visual joy that rooted-to-the-floor keyboardist John Young and guitarist Dave Bainbridge did not. Open Skies was powerfully rocking, while End Of The World and Impossible represented the poppier side of Young’s compositions. A short intermission and the band were back to perform all of Altitude. From the epic title track to the jazzy prog of Fortitude, Lifesigns gave their all. Last One Home ended the set, showing why Bainbridge is such an in-demand guitarist.
While Progstock continues to have its issues with timing (and technology), they did their best to stay on track for a special event following the Lifesigns gig. Promoters Tom Palmieri and Ann Rinaldi were married by Deacon Pat Mastelotto in a short but emotional ceremony that brought the long time couple together as Mr. and Mrs. Progstock. Mau, Schnella and Ruck performed a song written especially for the occasion, and cake was served in the lobby.
Any time I think that Progstock repeats its artists too often from one year to the next, I am reminded of the camaraderie between the artists. A number of collaborations have resulted both on stage and in the studio, creating more once-in-a-lifetime pairings than you can shake a stick at. I have attended every in-person Progstock from the beginning, and this was the best, hands down. Congratulations to Tom and Ann, and many happy years ahead for them and their baby, the Progstock festival.
[Photos by John Giordano]
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