Threshold
1 March 2013
Camden Underworld, London
How time flies. I was surprised to discover on checking that the last time I saw Threshold was back in 2006. Back then the late Andrew "Mac" McDermott was fronting the band and having heard great things about reinstated singer Damian Wilson I was looking forward to finally hearing him live.
Last year’s March Of Progress was a strong release from Threshold and rightly proud of it half tonight’s set is drawn from it. The show however kicked off back at 2004’s Subsurface album. After taking to the stage to a rather surprisingly subdued welcome from the packed Underworld, Mission Profile opened the set. By mid song, Wilson had drawn the crowd into clapping along and it suddenly felt like we were at a live show.
  
Wilson’s warmth immediately shone through in greeting the crowd as Threshold continued with the bouncy Don’t Look Down from their latest album. With a full beard on display, Wilson asked the crowd “What do you think of my beard?”.A less than positive response led him to laugh, “It’s the most unpopular thing I’ve ever done …so I’m keeping it!”
Sticking with the latest album, Coda followed, however all was not perfect with guitarist Pete Morten’s guitar constantly cutting out. An exasperated Morten, who has been with the band since 2007, noted, “Can you believe that the first time I get to do a Threshold song I’ve written my guitar doesn’t work!”
Part of The Chaos took us back to 1997’s Extinct Instinct and Wilson’s first stint with the band. The brooding song saw a soaring Wilson and some classy guitar work from Karl Groom.
  
My personal favourite from the March Of Progress album, Colophon, raised cheers with its opening notes. However, it was the epic Pilot In The Sky Of Dreams that seemed to be the crowd favourite of the night. Richard West’s lounge style piano leading to a sing-along.
Ashes segued to Angels, the latter featuring an impressive display from Johanne James on the drums, who Wilson pointed out had never grown a beard and was the most popular member of the band amongst the ladies.Comically turning he then noted “Pete Morten of course is the most popular amongst the guitar shops and maintenance departments.”Morten confirming “Nothing’s working at all!”.
Holding things together, the tail of the show included another epic in the form of Rubicon. With the Friday night curfew approaching and just time for one more song, Slipstream from the Dead Reckoning album closed out an enjoyable set.
Threshold setlist:
Mission Profile / Don’t Look Down / Coda / Part of the Chaos / Colophon / Pilot in the Sky of Dreams / Ashes / Angels / Staring at the Sun / Long Way Home / The Rubicon / Slipstream
LINKS:
http://www.thresh.net/
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