ProgPower UK
31 March 2007
The Centaur, Cheltenham
The size of the crowd enjoying the sunshine outside The Centaur, prior to doors opening, indicated that numbers were up for ProgPower UK`s second year. Full credit to the team who put on a great inaugural event last year, and had taken on many suggestions to improve things this year. Hence, amongst other things, we had more choice than a simple burger van for food, much better lighting and video screens showing the bands. It`s the jovial atmosphere that really strikes me about this event however. People really seem to enjoy kicking off their festival year at the excellent Centaur and it`s a great event to meet up with many old friends and familiar faces.
Due to the withdrawl of Scar Symmetry a month or so before the festival, Sweden`s Heed were added as openers and what a great choice they turned out to be. Heed were formed by singer Daniel Heiman and guitarist Fredrik Olsson on leaving Lost Horizon in late 2004. The band takes a heavier and more modern approach than the more traditional power metal of Lost Horizon. What hasn`t changed is Heiman`s seemingly limitless range, which at times had me glad that my pint was in a plastic cup and not glass!
From current album The Call, the mid-paced stomp of Salvation got hands in the air and the catchy chorus of Enemy seemed to win over the crowd. Heiman announced that the band were to try out some new material and joked, "This could be interesting!". He wasn`t wrong, with Running With The Shadows fast modern edge and ear splitting vocals really commanding attention.
Similar to the effect of Firewind last year, a more upbeat, less progressive band like Heed was the perfect opener for the day.
Heed set list:
I'm Alive / Ashes / Fate & Blood / Salvation / Running With The Shadows / Enemy / Corona / Last Drop of Blood
Sticking with the Swedes, Cloudscape were up next, though for a band with two guitars, very little appeared to be coming through a bass heavy mix. Second song Shapeshifter sounds great on the band`s second album, Crimson Skies, but bereft of meaty guitars it fell a little flat. A bit like singer Mike Andersson`s joke attempt to get the crowd to sing Whitesnake`s Still Of The Night during a break due to technical problems.
To give him his dues, Andersson, who was continuing the early theme of bald headed singers, really did give his all into getting the crowd going. Unfortunately, despite strong material such as closer Under Fire, without the power of Björn Eliasson and Patrik Svärd`s guitars, the set never seemed to get going.
Cloudscape set list:
Breach In My Sanity / Shapeshifter / Everyday Is Up To You / Demon Tears / Aqua 275 / We Will Remain / Under Fire
Another scape, but it`s the Dream in Dreamscape`s name which makes the most sense. I doubt there`s many album reviews that haven`t mentioned the similarity to Dream Theater. I personally found that checking Dreamscape`s CDs out prior to the festival, I preferred to pop in one of my Dream Theater cds instead.
Such was the live situation and as planned I did head out to get some required food during Dreamscape`s set. What I did see of the Germans confirmed that singer Roland Stoll did sound a bit like James LaBrie and continuing from Cloudscape, Wolfgang Kerinnis` guitar was too low in the mix.
Dreamscape set list included:
Clockwork / Fed Up With / End of Light / Thorn In My Mind / Somebody
The late arrival of Haggard at the venue meant I was surprised by Communic taking the stage next. It initially seemed like a very big stage too, given the band only number three members, but Communic`s power and complexity soon filled any voids.
Oddleif Stensland is at the core of Communic, providing both guitar and vocals. The technicality of his playing is awesome to watch, but at the same time he`s also delivering heart wrenching, mournful vocals. Stensland`s often compared to Nevermore`s Warrel Dane and whilst it`s true his voice would be more than adequate to stand in for Dane, he could probably also take on Jeff Loomis` guitar lines whilst doing it.
To compare Communic directly to Nevermore would be lazy however. Communic, whilst equally as heavy, come from a more progressive angle and often their songs forge on two or three minutes longer than you`d expect, with an extra twist. Having said that they still remain catchy through their use of melody and certainly won over the ProgPower crowd.
Communic set list:
Communication Sublime / Frozen Asleep In The Park / Waves of Visual Decay / Under a Luminous Sky / They Feed On Our Fear
I could be wrong, but I think I counted 17 members of Haggard. Little wonder their soundcheck seemed to take forever until finally Asis Nasseri stepped up to the mic and declared "Alles Klar!". Haggard`s sound is unique to say the least. Whilst people may cry Therion when they hear the operatic vocals and classical instrumentation mixed with metal, the fact that Haggard bring their orchestra with them rather makes for a different live experience.
Nasseri appears to be the conductor as well as guitarist and death metal vocalist. A female soprano counters Nasseri`s harsh attack, though funnier still was what resembled a stoned roadie that turned out to be by a trained male tenor.
Due to the delay Haggard had to settle for 25 minutes on stage which boiled down to, I think, three songs. I wouldn`t swear this however as there`s enough ideas, twists and turns in each Haggard mini-opus to fill an album. Haggard presented an intriguing diversion to the day.
Haggard set list:
Per Aspera Ad Astra / Eppur Si Muove / Awaking The Centuries
Hmm, I have to admit to being somewhat female fronted-goth-metalled out. Despite not seeing Leaves` Eyes before, there`s something highly familiar about hearing the semi-operatic shrieking and crunching guitars of opener Farewell Proud Men whilst a band of men dressed in black stalk the shadows leaving Liv Kristine to preen at the front of the stage in a flamboyant dress.
Ocean`s Way follows with its old school goth feel interrupted by Kristine`s husband, Alexander Krull, bounding around the stage growling. Krull`s more used to fronting his own band Atrocity, who in fact are the whole of Leaves` Eyes, save for their front woman.
It`s not that Leaves` Eyes are bad, at times they sound immense, and if you can`t get enough of the likes of Within Temptation and After Forever then they are a must. What disappointed me was the lack of surprise. In the context of a normal concert it may have been fine, but a little more invention should be expected at a festival like ProgPower.
Leaves` Eyes set list:
Farewell Proud Men / Ocean's Way / The Crossing / Into Your Light / Temptation / Lyset / Legend Land / Solemn Sea / Elegy
The Kamelot merchandise turned up late, but once it arrived it was flying out like proverbial hot cakes. Trying to get past the huge snake like queue at the signing desks was further confirmation that Kamelot were probably the biggest draw of the day. Having turned in one of the performances of the festival at Sweden Rock 2003, catching Kamelot live again was long overdue and they didn`t disappoint.
Right from opener When The Lights Are Down, Kamelot showed how to put on a slick metal show. Live there`s an extra power to their material without losing its melodic edge. Thomas Youngblood`s guitar both providing punch, whilst combining with Oliver Palotai`s keyboards to weave Maiden like harmonies on the likes of Center Of The Universe.
Vocalist Roy Khan commands Kamelot`s center court his voice building through Nights Of Arabia then taking things down for the ballad Abandoned. The Norwegian does not rely on usual power metal histrionics with a much smoother soulful approach. Occasionally he`s joined by German born Anne-Catrin Maerzke who adds a feminine touch to proceedings.
The title track of the band`s forthcoming album, Ghost Opera, wetted the crowd`s appetite for a promised return in October, but it was encore March Of Mephisto that really got head`s bobbing, with the band leaving to a rapturous response.
Kamelot set list:
When The Lights Are Down / Soul Society / Mourning Star / Center of The Universe / Nights of Arabia / Abandoned / Descent of The Archangel / Forever / Ghost Opera / Karma / March of Mephisto
A seemingly touch act therefore for Jon Oliva`s Pain to follow and with time delays it`s a testament to the man that the crowd was still so large at this late hour. Whereas Kamelot presented a rock show, Jon Oliva performance carries a much more intimate vibe. For the most part seated behind his keyboard centre stage, due to an injured leg he blamed on guitarist Matt LaPorte, the Mountain King breaks down the barrier between audience and crowd with ease. Describing detail behind songs such as his late brother`s music appearing on The Evil Beside You and The End Times being about a visit from the Jehovah Witnesses, the effect is more what you`d expect a singer songwriter in a smoky jazz club to portray.
For this special occasion, Oliva treats the Savatage faithful to a run through of the bulk of the Streets album. Around him he has assembled a tight band able to do justice to this sacred material. Of most note however has to be guitarist Matt LaPorte who`s playing through the Savatage back catalogue is incredibly faithful to Criss Oliva`s original playing. Hairs are raised on the back of my neck as he whips through the Edge Of Thorns solo.
Two more title tracks close the set with Gutter Ballet taking things to a crescendo before The Hall Of The Mountain King wrapped things up. Jon Oliva`s Pain`s set was truly something special. Having disarmed the audience with genuine sincerity, real feeling in the performance was clear to see. Thoroughly enthralling.
Jon Oliva`s Pain set list:
Warriors / Sirens / Maniacal Renderings / The Evil Beside You / Streets / Jesus Saves / Tonight He Grins Again / Strange Reality / New York City Don't Mean Nothing / Ghost In The Ruins / If I Go Away / Agony And Ecstasy / Somewhere In Time / Believe / Through The Eyes of The King / End Times / Edge of Thorns / Gutter Ballet / Hall of The Mountain King
LINKS:
ProgPower UK
Jon Oliva`s Pain
Kamelot
Leaves` Eyes
Haggard
Communic
Dreamscape
Cloudscpae
Heed |
