It was a strangely beautiful weekend, this one, and it was about to end with a bang! A big bang (got the pun? Huh?)! What's more appropriate then than this gig, where the trio (quartet if you'd like, counting the touring keyboardist) from Ireland under the moniker GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT visit Greece again after almost two years. I'll be blatantly honest with you, I 'discovered' these guys few months ago so if you are expecting some kind of expert talk or in depth mumbo jumbo, feel free to reroute your selves to greener pastures! If you are still here, then bear with undersigned and forgive his 'naive' approach in this (is it awesome talking about you in third person or what?!) I am only here for the good music!

Arriving around 20:40 at the venue, in the middle of urban Athens, with good company and less clothing than the previous days –thank you Greek weather- we've encountered quite few people outside waiting to get in. Entering the legendary Kyttaro the starry ceiling created a good vibe for the things to come. Not long afterwards the support 'band' went on stage, where 'band' you can say one-man band named Absent Without Leave; one Greek musician going all instrumental, setting the mood for GIAA. I can't express any kind of opinion about his musicianship but I can gladly transfer the good reactions he was getting from the crowd.

The mellow, soft instrumental and almost acoustic feeling we got was just the calm before the storm, before the "Age Of The Fifth Sun" from the headliners. Their opener created quite a rush to everyone which actually made me see that the venue was almost filled! The sound was crystal clear which really helps with bands like this and as always there were video projections in the background with clips from famous SciFi films and GIAA videos. The Kinsella brothers never stopped headbanging and the energy they were emitting was so powerful and pure that it felt like you were caught in a tornado and you just HAD to let go. The drummer, Lloyd Hanney, got me worried for quite a few times, worried of being in a wrong concert and ended up to something more "brutal"; just check the drumming in the "Suicide By Star"!. He was really good but sadly we got informed that he will quit GIAA to, and I quote, "… pursue better things in life". Speaking about group changes, GIAA had a keyboard player which was relative new to the band (second gig or so), Jamie Dean which he seemed to enjoy the gig as much as the 'older' members. What more can you ask really from a rock band? I must admit though that they sound better live, with more strength in their sound and more electric. The best examples are "Echoes" and "Zodiac" which were simply amazing and the crowd seemed to love getting lost in them! You couldn't really tell how fast ninety minutes passed by, you couldn't really tell whether you saw a good rock concert or you just had a huge mind fuck leaving you speechless in the end… The choice was up to each and every one there. Music can do that to you; especially good music.

And good it was. Nothing early in this lovely Sunday was preparing us for this. GIAA lived up their legacy as one of the best bands in the genre (feel free to add the genre you believe they might 'belong' to) and they promised to return. I am hoping that they will keep this promise. We need honest bands like them floating around in the endless dirt of what music, sadly, is nowadays. And if God exists, I am pretty sure he is an Astronaut. Cheers guys.

PS. Forgive us if some songs might be missing from the setlist or put in wrong order!

PS2. BIG thanks to GCA Concerts for supplying us with the invitation in such short notice and especially mr.Nikos Siglidis for welcoming us to the venue!

GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT setlist

1. Age of the Fifth Sun
2. Echoes
3. A Deafening Distance
4. From Dust to the Beyond
5. Sunrise in Aries
6. Worlds in Collision
7. Zodiac
8. All Is Violent, All Is Bright
9. Suicide by Star
10. No Return
11. Forever Lost
12. Route 666
13. Fire Flies and Empty Skies