Tag Archives: Progressive

Mastodon – Gojira – Kvelertak: Live at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel, Providence, RI

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I recently had the opportunity to catch the second leg of the Mastodon/Gojira/Kveletak tour at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel in Providence, RI. I had seen the tour in the spring when they stopped by Worcester, MA and was just as excited to see this line up again as I was the first time that they came to town.

Kvelertak

First up were Norway’s own, Kvelertak, who played a crushing and energetic set. After having seen them about a half dozen times before this show, I was surprised that they only played for half an hour, but, I’ll be damned if they didn’t make the most of it with songs such as ‘Blodtørst’ and ‘Ulvetid’ off of their self titled Kvelertak (Indie Recordings), ‘Åpenbaring’ and the ever popular ‘Bruane Brenn’ from 2013’s Meir (Roadrunner Records). I’ll be waiting on ‘Nekrokosmos’ and ‘Sultans of Satan’ for next time. If you haven’t seen Kvelertak live yet, you really need to get on that. These are some really talented guys and they’re only going to continue getting better and better just like Bjarte Lund Rolland’s shirts; he was sporting High on Fire this time around and everyone knows how I feel about them.

Gojira

Hailing from France, Gojira took the stage next and opened their set with ‘Ocean Planet’ to the deafening roar of an excited crowd. A Gojira show is always an experience in the art being as heavy as possible. I was a giddy little girl thanks to being treated to two more tracks off of From Mars to Sirius (Prosthetic Records); ‘Backbone’ and “The Heaviest Matter in the Universe’. ‘Vacuity’ provided the finishing touch to an already flawless set. I would really like to see Gojira headline another tour. While they never disappoint live and tour with other incredible acts, eight songs just aren’t enough and I’m always left wanting more. Maybe we can add ‘World to Come’ next time?

Mastodon

Headliners Mastodon took the stage last and treated us to an eighteen song set. Once More Round the Sun (Reprise Records) had not been released when I saw them last and about half of the set list for this evening consisted of songs off of the new album. This was really the Mastodon Sing-A-Long Tour as there wasn’t a time when the crowd wasn’t belting out every single song. The crowd was the loudest for ‘The Motherload’ and screamed their lungs out although there was no twerking. ‘Oblivion’ and ‘Divinations’ garnered a similar response and the chant at the end of ‘Aunt Lisa’ will quickly become a crowd favorite. ‘Halloween’ was also appropriately included in the mix for a show the day before the holiday of the same name. Everyone’s favorite new break up song, ‘Ember City’, made its live debut as well and was met with applause. It was phenomenal. These southern sweethearts brought the evening to a close with the powerful ‘Blood and Thunder’ and the venue went insane. I may or may not have grabbed my friend to shake him violently in my excitement. He seemed fine. Even if a good chunk of the set was dedicated to material off of OMRS, it’s a solid album and Mastodon are always excellent live.

Mastodon

I try not gush, but, sometimes it just can’t be helped. It really doesn’t matter how many times I’ve seen any of these bands, I’ll continue to seek them out and you should too. They’re fantastic performers and

I look forward to seeing them for many years to come. I’d also like to thank Erika Kristen for being a friend and a wonderful human being in general.

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Mastodon on Facebook

Gojira on Facebook

Kvelertak on Facebook

WORDS: ALEIDA LA LLAVE

PHOTOS: HILLARIE JASON PHOTOGRAPHY


The Ocean Collective Held Hostage in India

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The Ocean Collective
In a bizarre turn of events, German prog metallers The Ocean Collective have been held hostage by security at their hotel in Bangalore, throwing their gig in the city into doubt. The German five piece were allegedly assaulted by hotel security when they tried to leave the hotel and held there for three hours. The incident arose when sponsors of the gig in India Kingfisher failed to pay the bands hotel room. However after three hours and the intervention of the German embassy the incident has been resolved and the bands show will go ahead this evening.

Original post:
We are not sure if tonight’s show in Bangalore can go on as planned, as we are currently being held hostage (yes, that’s precisely what it is) at MATTHAN HOTEL, because apparently KINGFISHER, India’s largest beer company and sole sponsor of the festival we were supposed to play on Saturday but didn’t, has still not paid our hotel bill. We have been physically assaulted by hotel security when trying to leave the premises – the German embassy is involved now.
We are very sorry again for all this, people of Bangalore- we want to play for you, but at this moment, it is not even sure if we can catch our return flights later tonight. We will keep you posted! Cross your fingers! Rock N’ Roll!

Update:
The show is happening! After being stuck at our hotel for 3 hours, the German embassy sorted things out within 20 minutes… props to those guys! We are currently at the venue (Vapour) and will have a quick soundcheck now, doors at 7.30. We’ve had a mad day, come drink some bloody maries with us on the rooftop terrace before we fly out tonight at 3 AM !!!!!

Ocean Collective on Facebook


Steve Hackett – Genesis Revisited: Live at the Royal Albert Hall

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Memory doesn’t half play tricks on you, you know. I don’t think there was ever a time when the live album was an important part of the progression of an artist but I seem to remember from my own youth that the arrival of a live record was considered to be AN EVENT. An event you could have endless arguments about, for example, whether the live version of Iron Maiden’s ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ on Live After Death (EMI) is superior to the studio version on Number of the Beast (it is, by the way). Today, the live album appears to be the perfunctory release of the couldn’t-be-bothered brigade, the contractual cash in, the how-can-we-milk-them-some-more cynicism.

 

It was with this context and mindset that I approached Steve Hackett’s latest souvenir of his Genesis revivalism from the Royal Albert Hall. The Genesis Revisited experience has been captured on live DVD and 2CDs – your humble scribe has had to make do with an MP3 download so I can’t comment on anything like multiple camera angles, artistic direction or anything like that – it’s just the soundtrack I’m going to review. But what a soundtrack!

 

“Welcome to the Last Night of the Progs” says Hackett at the start of ‘Dancing with the Moonlit Knight’. It’s part gag, part slight embarrassment – you get the idea that Hackett knows that the passionate throng in front of him are coming to this gig with massive expectations and Hackett is humble enough to not want to let them down. He doesn’t as ‘Dancing with the Moonlit Knight’ is just, well, fantastic actually. You won’t get me to suggest that I didn’t miss Peter Gabriel’s eccentric and evocative vocals, but Hackett’s singer, Nad Sylvan does a terrific job and if you haven’t got to grips with how brilliant a guitar player Hackett is then this is a great jumping on point. His solo on ‘Fly On the Windshield’ is spellbinding, and I say this as someone who usually finds this sort of stuff irredeemably awful.

 

With an artist like Hackett you were never really going to get short-changed though were you? This is a man who cares too much about the music, the fans and the experience than to turn in a “will this do?” effort. The set list appears to have been curated with care, respect and with an ear for the natural ebb and flow of live performance; there’s an attentive and graceful rendition of ‘Return of the Giant Hogweed’, a heartwarming ‘Fifth of Firth’ and when we get to it, as you know that we inevitably will, a performance of ‘Supper’s Ready’ that only the most churlish would consider to be anything other than exquisite.

 

Truly, there has been a huge amount of care into this event: whilst I would not be as daft or effusive as to suggest that this is better than the original what the performance does do- and in spades- is remind me of how brilliant Hackett is, how great Genesis were and how much of a prog-head I really am. That’s quite a feat. A lovely, lovely album of what must have been a lovely, lovely night.

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8.0/10.0

 

Steve Hackett on Facebook

 

 

MAT DAVIES