The Civic Hall, Stourport
Sunday, 9th March 2025
(Richard Swan)
Day 3 of the wonderful Fusion Festival kicked off with The Book of Revelations. Another great decision by Steve Gould to get them in the billing and to start us off gently after our rumbustious enjoyment over the previous two days (or three for some of us – Ed). This is symphonic prog, harking back to the heady days of the 70s with tones lifted straight from the Genesis playbook.
This was a stripped back performance by only three, largely due to sickness of band members, but it was nonetheless a spirited performance from Gerard Freeman (vocals and guitars), Mark Worledge (guitar) and Paul Blackwell (bass) with some backing tracks to fill the gaps. I thought it a great performance, given those limitations. But then I’m a glutton for bass pedals or at least the bass pedal sound, and Mark’s guitar sound is a peach. We were treated to long form tracks from their growing repertoire, including The Plumes of Enceladus and the wonderfully titled Debacle in The Retirement Home.
If early Genesis is your bag then this is a band well worth checking out. I for one loved it, and it is worth adding a few choice quotes heard on the day:
“What made Genesis great was not necessarily the sound of it, but it showed they could write great tunes…..”
“If you want to hear what Genesis would have sounded like if only Peter Gabriel was in the band” (thank you, Lee…..)
Take from that what you will, but I can only see the good in that. The Book of Revelations write great tunes, perform them really well, and they remind us of what a treasure Peter Gabriel really is.
(P.S. check out their cover of Peter Gabriel’s Humdrum on The Epigraph. Sweet!)
[Photos of The Book of Revelations by Rosamund Tomlins]
(Rosamund Tomlins)
Second on the bill for the last Fusion 2025 festival day; a fair degree of tension and the potential for growing paranoia is palpable throughout this young band’s set. I’ve only seen them live once before and had been waiting to catch them again.
An almost literally ‘commanding’ stage presence here, with ‘vocalist’, Mark, initially dressed as though about to go on a Special Ops training exercise, plus head rig for a wireless mic. He sometimes wails but certainly utilises significantly more expressive vocalising than singing, à la Mark E. Smith, and The Streets, opening with the strident, Birds Aren’t Real, referring to a sniper’s red dot. There’s a punky vibe, and a touch of indie pop with thunderous chugging bass high in the mix, and overall thumping rhythms.
The guitar playing, from Tom, is sometimes reminiscent of indie bands from the 80s, with power stealing melodies aplenty in the solos, and when punctuating or following along the vocal lines.
Surprising us with a cover of Babushka, as a homage, Mark informs us that, sadly, Kate Bush isn’t well; then, a new, apparently unfinished, song, Perfect To A Fault has Cult-ish guitar and Squire-ish basslines – at one point with even an insertion of the bassline to The Fish, using pedals for emphasis.
Discordant vocal harmonies also from bassist Nick, serve to unnerve as Mark declaims, “Silicone Implants! (in yer noggin)!” introducing the next number. A song possibly called Nazi’s Bad is up next – with a Fall-ish bit – or perhaps like the old Crass/Flux of Pink Indians’ sound, or even Puniliux (Punishment Of Luxury) – a distinctly 80s post-punk noise.
Nick’s playing goes crazy for a few moments and I sense that something unexpectedly improvised was going on, or it all might even have gone slightly awry, although we wouldn’t know. Drummer, Jarod, & Nick give a knowing smile to each other anyway – I love seeing band members interact like that, as it’s proof of something organic being created in front of us.
There’s a 60s vibe in the harmonies for a track recounting Mark’s time in hospital as part of his three years’ recovery getting back to who he was after contracting meningitis. Soft Reset – a dramatic intense metally droney number with Mark dressed in hospital gown, and I’ll Quit Tomorrow, about addiction, are both about mental health recovery, the latter showing a distinct change of pace into bluesy raunch (and Mark explaining he’d been in the ’12 Step Programme’).
Lastly, Outside – a Minnie The Mooch/Cab Calloway style meets Iggy Pop fronting Richard Hell & The Voidoids doing the ‘Stray Cat Strut‘ – drives this impressive set, and us, into submission!
(Owy Thomas)
At an initial show of hands, few were familiar with eclectic fusion band HiPoKaMP projekt from Poland. Their set commenced with a recitation, hailing (I think) part of the Futurocklogia collection, setting a jazz groove, featuring acoustic guitar and electric violin, with saxophone prominent and central to the sound. A solid rhythm section is immediately evident, the bass laying a solid groove, and keys and violin layering the sound. It’s a gentle start to proceedings. Then the acoustic guitar takes off and ends the composition in great style.
Lilting violin starts the next track, a gentle vocal caressing us into the HiPoKaMP soundstage. A fine sax solo follows, further drawing us in to the conclusion. Things take a further turn towards jazz fusion with the next track. Further recitation ushers layered keys and violin. And we are further drawn into a world of foreboding and building intrigue. Next, a slight Canterbury turn, perhaps, as violin and sax weave with intricate bass. This lot know what they are doing and are taking us all with them, as the groove builds to a satisfying conclusion.
There is a degree of countrymates SBB to their sound, to my ears, although they add a freshness and uplifting quality not far from billmates Solstice on occasion. They certainly can build a composition with exquisite dynamics. Next track starts with a Crimson-esque keys-laden intro, yielding to a jazz fusion style that latterly has a dynamic build worthy of Crimson and expounds inexorably into dark prog territory. Utterly glorious. Fine bass work leads us through a previously unseen passage back into Canterbury-esque environs, featuring some fine acoustic guitar leads. For a moment it’s almost Al Di Meola in Mahavishnu playing Caravan and Crimson simultaneously. And really quite beautiful. Utterly spellbinding.
Next up, we’re almost in an Irish reel-like jig one second, then clicking into an incessant jazz funk groove. This is a heady concoction for anyone, but I love it. Intricate whimsy intertwines with Canterbury and fusion styled prog jazz. Irresistible. Then it becomes apparent that this is an interesting rearrangement of a section of Camel’s Snow Goose. Plaintive and heartfelt vocals and an impassioned sax backing take things forward, as acoustic leads and pumping bass leads to violin and sax interspersed with an impressive keys solo and a jazz funk groove to the end of the next selection, having the crowd clapping and cheering along.
HiPoKaMP projekt surely won over some firm friends at Fusion, and a I certainly hope to get the opportunity to see them again.
[Photos of HiPoKaMP projekt by Rosamund Tomlins]
(Roger Trenwith)
Much like Lazuli on Friday, I am entering unknown territory with Dominic Sanderson, but I am told by one who knows that the music he makes may well fire some of my synapses into life.
Charging along like a steam train, Dominic and his band hit the tracks in full-on deep prog mode. His gnarly stentorian vocal style on this number reminds me of Peter Hammill. In fact, the thunderous drums and syncopated keyboards and sax are currently mining a deep VdGG vein. This is heavy prog, hammered on an anvil into an unearthly shape. Space whispers float through the warm air as eerie atmospherics build, but you just know that a crushing weight will knock that particular planet way off its axis at any second.
It can’t be denied that Dominic’s music has some highly obvious reference points, but it takes these and twists them into something that is maybe not entirely new (but what is these days?) but containing more than enough individuality and musical derring-do to keep this punter on the edge of his seat. And it doesn’t feel contrived at any point.
Some devilish time signatures and key changes keep the most demanding prog fan happy, and looking round the audience there are several metaphorical jaws dropped to the floor. “How dare you be so talented?!” shouts one happy punter between songs, and another jokingly follows with “Play faster!”
The band Dominic has assembled is something else, and are very well rehearsed, and with the intricate tunes turning on a sixpence at ninety miles per hour, they have to be! I don’t really want to single anyone out, but sax player Andy Frizell is something else, and a proper showman to boot.
Their set was shorter than advertised due to accumulated overruns, an inevitable festival occurrence. This left me wanting more, so I hope this band play a full gig soon somewhere near me, I will be there in a shot! On a more prosaic level, it looks like the merch desk will be getting a visit from this punter! See ya! 🙂
[Photos of Dominic Sanderson by Rosamund Tomlins]
(Lee Mellows)
Starting off with a sprightly Isambard The Mechanical Dragon, the Spriggs are in fine form tonight. They are a well-oiled machine by now (and not just Baz’s upper arms) but they still seem to be having fun with it and so are we.
On paper they may seem a fairly straightforward rock band with a penchant for fantasy/sci-fi themes but somehow the tunes, the dual guitar interplay, the costumes, the emotive vocals from Fay Brotherhood, and their connection with the audience has built something rather special.
Extra points for using a keytar as well of course and Maxine’s abilities on this and guitar and saxophone and recorder keep the sound field fresh. It’s all highly entertaining and there was much dancing in the aisles.
(Graham Thomas)
A little earlier on the final day of Fusion 6, Steve Gould made the sad announcement that the lead singer of Solstice, Jess Holland, was unwell, and would not be able to perform. However, with the wealth of vocal talent at the band’s disposal, did this mean cancelling the show? Of course not, that was never an option. Although Jess was missed by all, Dyane Crutcher and Ebony Buckle stepped up to the plate and put on a magnificent show, sharing vocal duties throughout an inspired set. New face Leoni Jane Kennedy was promoted from the merch desk to harmony vocals and guitar and fitted in perfectly.
The set opened with Firefly from the new album Clann, and Dyane immediately looked at home in front of the band, singing like an angel. The towering presence of Andy Glass on guitar was reassuring, and his fluid solos washed over us like a balm, healing all the ills of the world, and for a couple of hours we could forget all else and be transported to a joyful place. Old favourites like Shout and Guardian were as good as ever, and new songs like Life, Plunk (a collision of prog and funk apparently!) and Frippa sounded so good that it seems likely Clann will be high on many people’s best album lists at the end of the year.
Away from the obvious vocal and guitar abilities on display, Jenny Newman was perfection on fiddle, whilst Robin Phillips on bass and Peter Hemsley on drums hold the rhythm department with rock solid hands. That just leaves Steven McDaniel ever grinning and clearly loving the show from behind his keyboards. Earthsong and Wongle are two favourites, and then Jenny strikes up the fiddle intro to Mount Ephraim, and it’s surely time to dance? Of course it is. They close with A New Day, and Sacred Run, and it’s all over too soon, both the wonderful performance from Solstice, and the whole festival.
Well done Steve and Louise for putting it all on, and get well soon Jess. Oh, and if you haven’t seen Solstice for a while, make darn sure you catch them on their Clann tour, they are magical.
Special Thanks goes to Steve and Louise Gould of Fusion.
LINKS
FUSION: Music Without Boundaries – Website | Facebook | YouTube | X
