LoreleiProgFestival2009-2

THE LORELEI PROG FESTIVAL, ST GOARSHAUSEN, GERMANY, JULY 2009

[2]

My brief comments (for what it's worth) - FRIDAY:

ALSO EDEN - [The band led by the guy whom, I believe, runs the Summers End Festival in Lydney in Gloucestershire, which I attended last year. Nothing personal, I found them a bit pedestrian and uninspiring, just lacking some magic. Line-up: Huw Lloyd-Jones: vocals; Ian Hodson: keyboards/vocals; Simon Rogers: guitars/vocals; Steve Dunn: bass/guitars and Dave Roelofs: drums and percussion.]

ARENA - [Traditional progressive rock with an element of theatre, Arena's line-up comprises Mick Pointer (Drums), Clive Nolan (keyboards), Ian Salmon (Bass), Rob Sowden (Vocals) and John Mitchell (Guitars) - Mitchell and Nolan being members of It Bites, something about the vocalist just seemed retro and put me off, dunno, maybe it was his dress sense - couldn't help thinking that I prefer It Bites to Arena. John Mitchell is one helluva guitarist, though.]

AGENTS OF MERCY - [Swedish guitarist Roine Stolt, member of The Flower Kings and Transatlantic, music from this, his new project during a Flower kings hiatus. Line-up consisting of Nad Sylvan: Lead & Backing vocals & Mellotron; Roine Stolt: Composer - Guitars, Bass, Lead & Backing vocals; Zoltan Csörsz: Drumkit; Jonas Reingold: Fretless Bass & Taurus pedals;
Lalle Larsson: Piano & Synthesizer and Inger Ohlen-Reingold: Vocal & Percussion. Roine mentioned that he had met Bowie/Peter Gabriel soundalike vocalist Nad Sylvan on Internet. Camp? Check out their MySpace link and decide for yourself. I liked some of the music, actually, arguably more accessible than Stolt's stuff with The Flower Kings. Highly respected as a composer and guitarist, spoke to him after the set regarding his contribution to Dave Bainbridge of Iona's Songs For Luca release. Curious therefore as to whether he had any serious religious convictions.]

RIVERSIDE & GAZPACHO - [next page]

ALSO EDEN