The Prog Life - July 22, 2003: Confessions of a Festival Virgin
by Clayton Walnum




Before we get started, I want to clarify a rumor that's been going around prog-dom recently, that rumor being that I award each and every reader of this column a crisp, new twenty-dollar bill. That rumor is completely false. I have never handed out twenty-dollar bills to any of my readers. I use hundred-dollar bills. Inflation, you know. So, rest assured that if you read this column from beginning to end, you too will be the recipient of a portrait of ...um ... who's on a hundred-dollar bill? Of course, I'll be holding onto all awards for safe keeping. We wouldn't want anything to happen to all that cash, now would we?

Due to the title of this column (you know, where it says "Confessions of a Festival Virgin" at the top of the page?), I'm guessing I don't have to hand out cash to get you to read. You're all charged up, expecting lurid stories of illicit, hotel-room rendezvous; naughty movies at midnight; and enough booze to float the U.S.S. Constitution all the way to China and back. Leather and lace! OOOoooooohhhh! I'm going to have to disappoint you, though, because nothing like that happened. Well, there was that brief incident in the elevator, but because I was alone, I don't think it really counts.

Nope, the title of this piece comes from the fact that NEARFest 2003 was my first music festival. I never made it to Woodstock (any of them), I was glued to reruns of Gilligan's Island during several Newport Jazz Festivals, and as for Alvin and the Chipmunks' Dance Fest 2003 ... well ... those tickets are just so damn hard to get. I heard that they sold all 546,782 in three hours -- and only half of those went to furry, four-legged creatures, including my Uncle Phil. What chance did I have? The way tickets go for NEARFest, I didn't have much chance of going there, either. But a ticket virtually fell into my lap (thanks again to you-know-who-you-are), and it took me only a few minutes to decide between Gilligan's Island and NEARFest. I mean, I was out of my Mary-Ann outfit so fast...

As I packed my pink bra-and-panty ensemble and my Britney Spears wig (hey, I was going to a rock festival; a man's gotta be prepared), I have to admit to having a couple of reservations. One reservation was at a hotel, but that isn't the kind of reservation I mean. And, no, this tale has nothing to do with Native Americans. I mean "reservation" in the sense of "doubt." Specifically, I kind of expected that the festival would comprise several kind of amateur acts propped up by a couple of name-brand acts who kind of resented being there in the first place when they could have been home kind of watching reruns of Gilligan's Island. And, yes, I do kind of use the phrase "kind of" more often than I should, but I kind of like it.

Surprise, surprise! Although some NEARFest 2003 acts were better than others, all were pros. No filler here, folks (except for the tissues I used to stuff that aforementioned bra, which, thankfully, I didn't have to wear until I got home from the festival. But that's a story you'll never hear -- unless the sealed court records get out). I won't go into huge detail about the many groups who played this year's NEARFest, since this web site's official festival report does a great job of that. I will, however, give my own short, two-cents' worth. In fact, I'm thinking I'll do that right now:

High Wheel -- Missed 'em, dammit. (I arrived late on Saturday.)

Alamaailman Vasarat -- Missed 'em, dammit. (I arrived late on Saturday...Deja vu!)

Tunnels -- I arrived at the festival venue right before Tunnels took to the stage. Being brain-challenged, it took me a while to remember that Tunnels is Brand X bassman Percy Jones's latest combo. The band comprises drums, bass, and electric vibes, which often sounded like anything but vibes, thanks to various synth patches through which they were processed. Tunnels turned in a mostly smokin' set, though I have to admit to being a little tired of fusion lately. Percy Jones is an amazing bassist, and I spent most of the time glued to his fingers. Not literally, of course. Performance Grade: B.

The Flower Kings -- This was the band I most wanted to see, and they didn't disappoint. The group captivated the audience like the true prog masters they are, playing their complex symphonic fare with skill and ease. Too bad the P.A. was off for the first ten minutes or so. The audience insisted on an encore, but it wasn't in the cards. After about five minutes of relentless cheering, it was announced that the festival simply could not afford the overtime. I'm still not sure whether they were referring to overtime for The Flower Kings or general overtime for the venue. Performance Grade: A.

[In the words of Winston Churchill, the answer is "is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma". Okay, maybe not, but the quote seemed apropos -intrusive ed.]

Magma -- I freely admit that, until NEARFest, I knew little about Magma, except in a general way. Yes, I had heard their music, but it had failed to make an indelible impression. I guess this is a band that you have to see live to appreciate, because at NEARFest they blew me away. Their music is hard to describe, except to say that it's intensely rhythmic in nature. Even the singers often use their vocals in a rhythmic way, chanting as much as singing. All in all, Magma's compositions build to an unbelievable crescendo, and Christian Vander just may be the best drummer I've ever seen. Astonishing. The down side was the horrible sound for the first ten minutes or so. At first, the P.A. issued forth the most amazing wall of distortion, changing Magma's music to incomprehensible rubble. Luckily, the sound soon improved. Performance Grade: A+.

Sleepytime Gorilla Museum -- If there was a surprise hit at this year's NEARFest, Sleepytime Gorilla Museum was it. Call it avant metal, call it goth-prog, call it RIO. No matter the label, you also have to call it great. This band of weirdoes, complete with make-up and masks, attacked their instruments with a vengeance, churning out some of the most original music of the festival. Imagine King Crimson crossed with Pantera, and you'll have some idea of their musical style. Dark, savage, complex, yet sometimes light and good humored. For once, the P.A. held up fine for a set, delivering crystal-clear sound. Performance Grade: A.

Glass Hammer -- This was another band I was anxious to see. I don't care for all their music, which, especially on the earlier albums, tends to be a bit corny for my taste, what with all those hobbits and elves and stuff. But the last couple of albums are, I think, darn good. Unfortunately, from the start, it was obvious that these folks don't perform too often. I don't think they were as well rehearsed as they could have been, and, while the three female singers were lovely to look at, they didn't seem to know what to do with themselves when they had no parts. The P.A. mix was pretty bad. In fact, it was a shame that Glass Hammer paid a small choir to sing during their closing numbers, because no one heard a note that came out of their mouths. On the plus side, Kansas guitarist Rich Williams made a surprise appearance. Performance Grade: C+.

Kraan -- Before NEARFest, I knew nothing about Kraan. Apparently, they had a loyal following a couple of decades ago and have just recently reunited. They played mostly instrumental fare along the lines of Focus or Camel, but more stripped down. I'm not sure I would call them prog, but they turned in an enjoyable set and seemed truly moved and surprised that people still wanted to hear them play after all these years. Performance Grade: B.

Ånglagård -- These folks have become a legend in the prog community, which is as much due to their terrific music as it is to the fact that they disappeared after only two studio albums back in the 90s. Now, thanks to the urgings of the NEARFest guys, Ånglagård are back together, not only doing live shows, but also working on a new album. Like Kraan, Ånglagård seemed almost overwhelmed at their warm reception and loyal following, and they channeled that joyful energy into some of the most complex and dynamic music of the festival. Let's just say that Ånglagård are champs at instantly, and often, changing musical direction as they weave detailed tapestries of notes and sonic surprises. For good reason Ånglagård are often the yardstick by which modern prog bands are measured. Performance Grade: A-.

Camel -- And speaking of legends... Like last year's Nektar, Camel was this year's bonafide 70s prog stars. This was a partial Camel, though; a couple of the players weren't even born when Camel had their heyday. But guitar god Andy Latimer was there, and as far as this writer goes, he is Camel. Latimer isn't one of those million-notes-a-minute players, which was refreshing after two days of prog. Instead, much like Eric Clapton, with whom he actually has a lot in common, he plays every note with intense feeling and control, as if the guitar were jacked directly into his heart. To add even more feeling, he often plays just behind the beat, building extra tension into his beautiful melodies and phrases. Performance Grade: A.

Clay's CDs in Rotation

So, here we are again at the part of the column where I hide the Backstreet Boys CDs that I've really been listening to and pretend that I've been grooving to prog. Wait a minute! I've got myself confused with my eight-year-old daughter. I'm the one who listens to prog. No, really. In fact, here are a couple of CDs that have been the target of my CD player's laser for the last few weeks. Really.

Kayak - Close To The Fire

Kayak - Close To The Fire I've had this album kicking around for a while, but for some reason had never gotten around to giving it its due. I'm darn glad I didn't overlook it, because it's a great melodic prog album along the line of Camel with a dash of Pink Floyd. Kayak is, in company with groups like Nektar, Happy the Man, and Camel, one of those 70s prog legends that, even in their heyday, didn't get the recognition they deserved. Now that prog seems to be making a comeback, so is Kayak.

The music here isn't overly complex, but is as progressive as most of the so-called neo-prog groups, thanks mostly to the mysterious atmospheres, Genesis-like textures and melodies, and progressive instrumentation (i.e., flutes, recorders, and organ, along with guitar, bass, and drums). This album is loaded with gorgeous melodies, both sung and played on the guitar. But where did a Dutch group come up with all those Irish influences? Recommended to all lovers of light prog.

Ritual -- Think Like a Mountain

Ritual - Think Like A MountainIf the folks in Ritual don't admit to a heavy Led Zeppelin, Queen, and King Crimson influence, I'll eat my CD player. In fact, I'll eat it, cough it up, and eat it a second time. [Eew! -taste ed.] Other less obvious, but equally valid influences, include Faith No More and The Beatles. The songs here range from fairly straightforward rock to sophisticated almost RIO fare, all of it drenched with great songwriting and clever arrangements. In many cases, Queen oozes from the tracks, especially "Moomin Took My Head" (at least before it goes off on its cool King Crimish-ish side path).

The track "Infinite Justice" sounds like "Larks' Tongues in Aspic" with vocals, where as "Mother You've Been Gone For Much Too Long" closes with a passage that brings forth an image of King Crimson playing the end of The Beatles's "I Want You (She's So Heavy)." I kid you not. "Breathing" must have been written right after a listen to "Strawberry Fields Forever" with Freddie Mercury on lead vocals. In spite of obvious influences (sometimes passages are so close to the original, you can hear lawyers reaching for their phones), Ritual manages to turn in an album unlike anything I've heard before. Yep, their unusual stew tastes just fine.

Until next time, send me your proggy thoughts via email at cwalnum@claytonwalnum.com. Most importantly, keep on proggin'!


Links:
NEARfest
High Wheel
Alamaailman Vasarat
Tunnels
The Flower Kings
Magma
Sleepytime Gorilla Museum
Glass Hammer
Kraan
Änglägård
Camel
Kayak
Pink Floyd
Nektar
Happy The Man
Genesis
Ritual
Led Zeppelin
Queen
King Crimson
The Beatles








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Published on: 2003-07-22 (3341 reads)

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