In a year where there seem to be more concept albums than ever and backed by a couple of alleged psychological observations this is, in Sigmund Freud sotto voce, “Very Interesting”. The premise is thus: “It traces the life of…
View More Circu5 – Circu5
Phoenix Arts Centre, Exeter Tuesday, 24th October 2017 Justin Currie has recently released his fourth “solo” album with This Is My Kingdom Now, I would say formerly of Del Amitri although technically the band have never split up. Justin was…
View More Justin Currie & The Pallbearers / Les Johnson & Me
Okay, another crowd funder and another punt not heard. No idea beforehand but very satisfied with the results. I could end it there, that could be the review! But it deserves more, another sentence at least. The riff that opens…
View More I Am The Manic Whale – Gathering the Waters
The Drill Hall, Chepstow 6th to 8th October 2017 “Sanctuary in Music…” The Drill Hall is fast becoming the new spiritual home for the U.K.’s longest established festival of progressive music, the setting, close to the banks of…
View More Summer’s End Festival 2017
The Islington, Tolpuddle Street, London Saturday, 30th September 2017 Tolpuddle, Dorset. Home, or nearly, of the Dorset Knob, a local delight served with cream and jam. How appropriate for an afternoon gig in the presence of Peter (Tiger Moth Tales)…
View More Peter Jones – The Mad Mothster’s Tea Party
In the beginning was the dark, a little Thin Lizzy, a touch of Muse, a smidgen of Marillion and a soupçon of Queen. Yes, there are other influences from the history of Prog, but this is the real McCoy (not…
View More Drifting Sun – Twilight
The follow-up to 2015’s Upside Down World, Eclectica features a similar pattern of songs with musical interludes. Whereas for the last album these extra pieces were all individual, this time the interludes are both separate pieces and reprises of parts…
View More Doris Brendel & Lee Dunham – Eclectica
The Globe Theatre, The Bedford Hotel, Balham, London Sunday 16th July 2017 In these day of social networking there is no excuse, Midsummer Madness should have been packed to the gills. 7.5 million people in London and you’re telling me…
View More Midsummer Madness – Cairo / Introitus / Verbal Delirium / Mothertongue / Under A Banner
I loved Encircled’s first album, The Gun Has Replaced the Handshake, but opined that it would be far better with drums, so now we get album two, The Monkey Jamboree, and it HAS drums. On first listen, it crosses over…
View More Encircled – The Monkey Jamboree
Hafan Y Mor, Nr. Pwllheli, North Wales 16th – 18th March 2017 Part Three (Time for the Prog ‘After Life’?!) SATURDAY KONCHORDAT Konchordat, first of three bands on the second day from the distinctive Bad Elephant Music label, blew away…
View More H.R.H. Prog V – Day Three