It is widely said that there is a first time for everything in life. Who am I not to agree with such a widespread notion, and who am I to confront its existence. Furthermore, there have been those contemplating on the conception that we are living in an illogical world, but that is a different argue entirely, much more complex and foggy other than eloquent. For one thing, I found one of the definitions to illogicality on my first Prog Rock event at the night of a rainy Wednesday at
Reading 3, Tel Aviv. Questions and wonders with no answers is a common thing, always has been, but through the veils of vintage progression, I found myself looking at my old self, answering several of them.
Progstage Productions hosted an evening of Progressive Rock, attempting to preserve an old vibe that hasn't been showing signs of revival nowadays, especially with the giants of the genre slowly dying out, leaving bits of their legacy out for the taking but no one sadly does. On the other hand, since those gods aren't overly available, there are those special groups that share the right amount of talent to pay tribute to their influences, their utmost appreciation and admiration, and show around their proselytization live in front of the astonished faces of folks coming in to relive past experiences. That is exactly what happened when three bands, ECHOES, THE HUMPS and BUBBLEBATH went on stage, one by one, to perform ancient, yet classic, numbers and sensations of old. And no doubt, my dear friends, that I was stung that night by the Prog Rock bee.
First up to gather around the folks to their tables were BUBBLEBATH, a band that has been performing the 70's Prog Rock culture for two years now, and they prepared something special within their journey back in the time. Their setting was pretty decent and simple, nothing too flashy just honest persuasion.
BUBBLEBATH's recreation of the vintage voices of KING CRIMSON, with the first three numbers, loomed through the venue's air and swallowed their spectators. The band's vocalist, Rea Livnat, which decided to dress like an old times sailor, surprised me with his diverse vocal abilities, such an amazing potential fronting the group while his peer Rea Mayer inflamed with his masterful abilities with a magnificent lead section of the Saxophone, flute and rhythmic percussion. As band, these guys performed such tough nut tracks as if it was second nature to them, temp change after another, BUBBLEBATH buzzed their worth with ease, keeping it tight and steady ("21st Century Schizoid Man"), cracking with a measure of old Hard Rock creativity and shooting bolts of enough psychedelic shards to send most of the audience back to their youthful days ("I Talk To The Wind"). This song also introduced me the impeccable abilities of Micha Korkus on the skins. Letting the KING CRIMSON spirit to cool for a bit, the band moved on for two classics, "Free Hand" by GENTLE GIANT and "Heart Of The Sunrise" by YES. "Free Hand" sounded so rich coming from these guys' playing, angelic singing igniting the clarity throughout in their radius. "Heart Of The Sunrise" uplifted a rockier edge, heavier than thou kind of old charm, smooth lines against complex assortments that aimed to distress and reshape one's perception of this music. Setting the final tone with "Starless", out of the four decades' old "Red" album by KING CRIMSON, the band impressed with a complete instrumental dexterity, letting the lyrics slide through for just a bit before ramming with sensational insanity. Though barely showing any signs of movement on stage, that aspect in the band's performance seemed so insignificant, because it was hard to turn away from the packed talent on stage, a terrific show that must be seen again.
Setlist:
1. One More Red Nightmare (King Crimson Cover)
2. 21st Century Schizoid Man (King Crimson Cover)
3. I Talk To The Wind (King Crimson Cover)
4. Free Hand (Gentle Giant Cover)
5. Heart Of The Sunrise (Yes Cover)
6. Starless (King Crimson Cover)
Scavenging through the last obscurity of
KING CRIMSON that was left behind by
BUBBLEBATH, it was time to something different, while still maintaining the British vibe, as the entire evening provided. Up on stage came the band called
THE HUMPS, formed in 2006, which has been quite known, even outside of Israel, as one of the most glorious
CAMEL tribute band. This band has been touring, performing on various of stages, showcasing their pure
CAMEL blend. As also a Rock fan that never actually dwelled into the streets of
CAMEL, it was more or less a first time for me when it comes to listening to these tunes.
Remaining within the strips of the early 70's, playing songs out of the first four albums of the CAMEL legacy, THE HUMPS sailed through early ages of Progressive Rock music, caressing with definitive lead guitar charisma by Danny Ashkenazi, attributing quality melodic features along with crazed solo guitar lines that in a way displayed that roots of shred, and a heavily tight rhythm section, which mainly bombarded the thundering drums' assortments, made by the ideal hands of Tal Rubinshtein, that were originally old but sounded to fresh and opulent. As far as the vocals go, though there weren't that much, I didn't care much as it mainly the instrumental value was emphasized. THE HUMPS' doctrine was to prescribe a musicality show and not a sing along shindig. The astonishing instrumental magnitude of "Arubaluba" almost had me picking my jaw from the floor, simply out of this world performance, especially lead guitar and bass related. The last few numbers, in my bill, made the utmost difference out of the systematized commotion that came before it. "Snow Goose" presenting a fine Folk vibe with a wonderful flute playing, which along with slick drumming, had people dancing to its appeal, and right there, as if struck by lightning it turned red, hotter than a flame, a with a chopping Rock thrust, distributed by elegant keyboards and lead fretwork melodies. "Lady Fantasy", the overload epic, was this band's magic gem, their moment of grace and instrumental hysteria, channeling an emotional thunderstorm, it was between a Rocking edge to a soothing vibe, hard to digest the weight of this song after the last chord was played. It was simply an amazing show, one that should be explored again no doubt. As I mentioned earlier, there is always a first time for everything.
Setlist:
1. Beached
2. Freefall
3. Supertwister
4. Chord Change
5. Air Born
6. Arubaluba
7. Snow Goose
8. Never Let Go
9. Nimrodel
10. Lady Fantasy
As Monty Python used to reflect, "…And Now For Something Completely Different", it was time for the main event to come down upon the Reading 3, psychedelia and nostalgia all together waiting in the dark, setting themselves with a fine bleak dresses to appear in front to the audience. Hailing from Southern Israel, the band ECHOES, which has been performing the arts of the PINK FLOYD bristle machine for the past eleven years, in their own way, to my comprehension, that evening resent an old message, a social memorandum that has been reappearing, inclining to mention the decaying social order and the corruption that all find so putrid, yet behind closed doors caress its forehead without knowing. Playing the entire album of 1977's "Animals" had me quite excited due to the reason that finally a PINK FLOYD performance that isn't related to their overly played material and also due to this album's majestic enormousness.
Unlike the previous shows,
ECHOES had me feeling
"Animals" as if putting on headphones, sitting alone and just listening, concentrating on the music, looking on an imaginative spot somewhere and embracing the fumes. From top to bottom this show was orchestrated to a mere perfection,
ECHOES letting the old vibe of the British giant sink in through the venue, following by a well-timed show of lights on stage, supporting the feel that the band wished to channel with their playing. Talking about playing, it was as if the real thing was played live with the original members. However, since that would be impossible, especially with all that has been happening,
ECHOES proved that the originals aren't that needed, and that they can measure up to the old creators. I was much impressed by the backing vocals' melodies along with exhilarant guitar work of both
Yosi Shitrit and
Usher Ben Ishay, maintain a sound direction that closer to
David Gilmore's captivating ambiance of the early years. Following the five tracks of this special, somewhat theatrical showcase that toughed
"Animals" awareness of yours truly, I was left hypnotized to the fact that an Israeli band has to ability to put out this kind of show with excellence, may there be more such as this. In a nutshell my friends,
ECHOES is a band that must be seen live in order to capture their essence and the beauty of the music they so much admire.
Setlist:
1. Pigs On The Wing (Part 1)
2. Dogs
3. Pigs (Three Different Ones)
4. Sheep
5. Pigs On The Wing (Part 2)
This entire evening has been something that I haven't been used to, as more Metalhead than a Rocker, I have been exercised to watch constant headbangs, plenty of hands in the air, a total bash of adrenaline flashing throughout a maniacal scenery. However, attending this professional tribute to the gods of Progressive Rock made me realize that the true foundation of my deepest admiration lies within the valleys of this music, the complicated, psychedelic, intoxicating and somewhat grey with its presence. If there will be another event such as this, I urge you guys, locals and even non-Israelis that will be traveling to Israel right when the next one will scheduled, to be there.
I wish to thank Patrick Losinsky and Progstage Production for another amazing hospitality and for letting Metal Temple cover yet another production of the good music. Furthermore, plenty of thanks for my partner in crime, Alexandra Zeevy, which, as always, has been showing her godly talent with shooting amazing photos, documenting the best moments.
*ECHOES photos by Lior "Steinmetal" Stein
