OFF: ProgScape '96

[Keith A Henderson]

Hi Folks...

reprinted from the PT-Trans list....for those interested.

Keith H.

>
> Just got back late last night from my brief trip to Baltimore to see Day 1 of
> Progscape.  It would've been nice to stay for Day 2, but I'd still be driving
> as we speak, so that was a little much to ask....plus PTree was the main
> attraction for me anyway....duh.
>
>Well, I'll put in a few brief comments about the other three bands I saw, just
> in case people are interested.
>
> The venue was extremely nice...and old-style ampitheatre complete with
> orchestra pit, nice large stage, tremendously high ceilings, lots of fine
> woodwork, comfortable seats, and good acoustics.  It seated about 750 or so,
>but unfortunately it was never much more than half full at any one time.  I'll
> never understand why so many people choose to listen to crap while there are
bands like this to see here and there.  The only problem with the venue was the
> fact they had the a/c cranked so high it was practically freezing during the
> afternoon performances....later, for PTree, it was pretty comfortable.
>
> OK, so here goes....
>
> 1) Echolyn trio...           2:40 - 3:40
>    This was an impromptu performance by a band that has actually broken up.
>The band who was supposed to start off the festivities was delayed to Day 2 as
> their vocalist was still recovering from a bout of laryngitis.  I've heard
> their last album, 'As the World...', but don't know the songs real well, so I
> don't even know how much they played from it.  But their set was fairly
> enjoyable - sort of 'typical' prog stylings of the 70's.  The quality of the
>vocals was very good - both the guitarist and bassist had very good voices and
> intonation.  A nice starter, but not particularly earth-shattering.
>
> 2) Miriodor  (French Canada)    4:20 - 5:40
>    These guys were quite unusual, a four-piece band with a complex, often
> disjointed writing style.  All songs were instrumental, and often featured
> different instruments such as clarinet and accordion.  Both guitarists played
electric guitar and bass, switching off back and forth, although sometimes they
> both played guitar, and the bass was either coming from the keyboardist, or a
programming gizmo thing the drummer controlled.  They had a few minor technical
> difficulties with the latter, and they had to drop two songs from the set,
including the encore.  Instead, they re-played their opening piece from the set
> for an encore...that was the first time I've ever seen that happen....it was
> ok, though, as that was the best track they did IMHO.  I enjoyed their
> quirkiness, but sometimes they'd venture off into some atonal thing for a
> minute or so, that sounded like just a bunch of noise to me.
>
> Dinner break.....
>
> 3) Porcupine Tree (UK)      8:10 - 9:33
>
>    OK, here was the real deal....not unexpectedly, they came out with TSMS
> phase one, and it was a very pleasant start.  None of the four bands had any
> *real* light show, but PTree's lighting guy did much more with the few things
> he got to twiddle than the other bands.  Plus, they had neglected to remove
> their DAT tape of their linking atmospherics from the machine they borrowed
> and returned for the NY show, so each song came to a dead end each time.  So
> this was certainly different than a *normal* PTree gig I'm sure.
>
> Also, this crowd behaved more like they were at a classical performance or an
> opera rather than a rock concert (Richard mentioned this after the show).
>Anyway, none of these things did anything but place more emphasis on the music
> itself, which was just fine by me.
>
> Here was the set list....
>
> TSMS Phase one
> Waiting
> first part of TSMS Phase two (was listed as 'Is Not' on the actual set list -
>                               dunno what that meant)
> Radioactive Toy*
> Moonloop*
> Dislocated Day
> Moon touches your shoulder
> Always Never
> Burning Sky**
> -----------
> Signify*
> LSD was listed on the set list also, but alas, they didn't get around to
> playing it...would've been interesting to see how they re-created the bizarre
> vocals.
>
> The asterisks denote pieces that were particular highlights for me, and the
> ** indicates the real standout piece.....Burning Sky was just brilliant live,
> which was interesting since it never really stood out in my mind from
> listening to 'Up the Downstair'.
>
> The last half of Moonloop was similarly brilliant, and the new song "Signify"
> is an absolute killer track....the heaviest yet no doubt!  After the show, I
> was able to talk to all four members (and get my copy of TSMS signed as well)
> and Steve said that it started out as being a sort of tribute to the German
> group Neu!, but that it ended up sounding more like Metallica.  The opening
> riff was not too unlike Hawkwind's Master of the Universe - brilliant song.
>Looking forward to the new album very much.  This was the first time I'd heard
> 'Waiting'....I did in fact buy the single that very afternoon from one of the
>dealers there, but I could only look at it before their set.  I thought it was
> quite nice during the live set, but after taking the disc home and listening
> to the studio version, I really found that I like this one alot.  And my mom
> even liked it, which is pretty unusual.
>
> I had been wondering for several weeks how PTree live might differ from their
> studio work, and figured it might be in a loss of the extremes in dynamics,
> because some of their music is so subtle, I figured these lows might be lost
> in a live setting.  But at least at this show in this excellent venue, their
> set probably had even more of a dynamical range than their albums.  And the
> thing that really made the difference was Chris Maitland.  During the more
> 'frantic' portions of the songs, he was really belting out a tremendous
> racket back there.  He was the one that really surprised me.  Steve Wilson's
> soloing was as good as I expected it to be, but his vocals were sometimes a
> little hard to pick up..not surprising I should say, seeing though he often
> puts even more subtlety into his singing as he does with the 'atmospherics'
> parts.
>
> The one song that I was really looking forward to, didn't turn out that
great...Dislocated Day.  For some reason, this didn't transfer to the live show
> very well.  Not sure why...it just didn't sound complete - and sort of limp.
>
All in all, it was a very fine performance, and I think a majority of the crowd
> really enjoyed it.  I think they had the best time slot, as the crowd was as
>large (or larger) than at any other time it seemed.  As I said, after the set,
>I wandered into the bowels of the theatre, only to find myself at the dressing
> room area, where I found all four of them hanging out with Chris Lamka (the
> organiser) and some other folks.  I was able to ask Steve about his work with
> Fish, which is not yet complete...he said he thinks it will sound more like
> PTree music than anything previously associated with Fish - so that sounds
>interesting.  I asked Colin what 'Porcupine Tree' was supposed to mean, and he
> said that Steve refuses to tell any of them (the other three) how it
>originated.  So it remains a mystery to me, and I guess to everyone except the
> Head Tree.  Steve also mentioned that the C&S version of Signify should come
> out simultaneously with the Delirium release, and that they plan to come back
> over here to do more shows once that's out.  I'll be there!
>
> 4) Fourth Estate      10:35 - 11:55
>
>    I often hear people say that the best baseball managers were mediocre in
their playing days, figuring that they had to develop the mental strategic side
> of their ability to make up for a lack of atheletic skill.  Presumably then,
> the star athletes would make lousy managers, as they can get by with their
> fabulous skills alone.  This band is a musical analog of the latter case, as
>they could play loops around most groups in the world, but they had absolutely
> nothing to say.  At least they didn't hide the artists they ripped off...they
> came right out and said, OK here's a Hendrix tune, here's some Led Zeppelin,
>and how 'bout some Jeff Beck.  Then they also did some rocker versions of some
> classical pieces, and some self-indulgent soloing (which was actually the
> highlight of the show for me...the bass solo particularly was captivating).
> They really 'delivered the goods', but they were somebody else's goods, and
> they delievered them to the wrong address.  These were prog fans, and this
> band sounded more like Joe Satriani, and their 'jazz-influence' was far
> outshadowed by their metallized sound and on-stage bravado.  In another time,
> and another place perhaps...
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> OK, there it is....I actually enjoyed the entire event (at least certain
aspects of each group), and enjoyed the shopping.  I went looking for Faust and
Magma CD's, but came home with 'Agitation Free' and 'Neu!' CD's.  Ironic, since
Steve made that comment about Neu! later.  But I was disappointed that PTree or
> C&S didn't have a table set up to sell their own stuff, as other bands did.
> Once I picked up Waiting, I didn't need any other stuff myself, but other
> people were asking around for stuff (one person offered to buy my TSMS, just
signed, off me....jokingly, of course).  I was interested in picking up a PTree
T-shirt, but had to settle for the Progscape T-shirt with all the bands listed.
> Nice design, actually, with a sort of stone circle motif, with each band
> getting their own stone.  PTree's is the largest of course....it pays to have
> a long name. :)
>
>I hope there are more events like this in the US.  Chris Lamka seemed
>disappointed in the meager attendence and particularly the indifference from
the Baltimore community/media itself, but was encouraged by folks (like me) who
>went up and thanked him for championing this cause to give these bands a wider
>audience in such a place as the US, with it's terribly contrived popular music
>scene run by manipulative mega-record company weasels.
>
Well, that's about it...hope I get the opportunity to review another PTree show
here soon.....it was worth 1000 miles of driving to go to Baltimore, and I met
> up with a few friends from boc-l, past and present (Hi Tania, Chris, and
> David!).
>
> Keith H. (FAA)  Columbus, OH

PS.  Hey, Carl....perhaps that incident with the DAT tape might give you an
idea on how to make HW lose the 'programmed' performance aspect...if you can
just find a way to get backstage without being detected.  :)