THE LORELEI PROG FESTIVAL,

ST GOARSHAUSEN,

GERMANY,

JULY 2013

[6]

 
 

    Feature links:

THE LORELEI PROG ROCK FESTIVAL, ST. GOARSHAUSEN, GERMANY - 2013 - [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

 

 

 

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

DEVON TOWNSEND PROJECT - [I was relatively unfamiliar with the music of Canadian guitarist Devin Townsend though I had probably listened to some snippets at one time or another. Nonetheless, my curiosity had been tickled, despite being acutely aware that his musical style tended significantly towards metal. What I had not anticipated was the wacky, eccentric, animated, 'in your face', engaging stage presence that Devin Townsend projects. The shock humour is apparent but there's a serious and at times, darker side. Was I offended? No. was it entertaining? Yes. Is it prog? In parts, maybe, but not in the classic sense, hence his remark during the concert to his probably offending the generally laid-back audience who had come out to hear prog. That certainly seemed to be the theme as regards Sunday's headline acts, which included Opeth. He thanked the audience for having him and that was not without sincerity. During a song, he spontaneously invited three young bare-torsoed fans onstage, chests emblazoned with the letters DTP. At the end of his set, he had spent a considerable amount of time at the barrier to the front of the stage, engaging in conversation with his audience fan-base.

There's no doubting the man's talent as a musician and a performer. He has a great voice too. The compositions and styles are varied. Frenzied metal, catchy pop, songs of soaring beauty. He's truly in his element though with his balls-to-the-wall, full tilt, metal, a sheer wall of sound. I read that in March 2009, Townsend announced his plans for a four-album series called The Devin Townsend Project, with the goal of clarifying his musical identity and being "accountable" for the persona he projects to the public. The project's concept includes a different "theme" and a different group of musicians on each album.

 

DEVON TOWNSEND PROJECT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

An animated Devin Townsend shocks the somewhat laid-back Lorelei prog audience with his antics onstage.

 

 

Brian 'Beav' Waddell on bass.

 

Devin Townsend in a rare, somewhat relaxed pose.

 

Hard-core DTP fans onstage.

 

    Feature links:

THE LORELEI PROG ROCK FESTIVAL, ST. GOARSHAUSEN, GERMANY - 2013 - [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

 

 

 


 
 

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Other links:

[Night of the Prog - Official website]

[A review of the music at Lorelei 2013]

[Sanguine Hum]

[Maybeshewill]

[Sound of Contact]

[The Pineapple Thief]

[Crippled Black Phoenix]

[Anglagard]

[Caravan]

[Magma]

[Devin Townsend Project]

[Opeth]

[Steven Wilson]