Live Shows

REVIEWS OF RECENT LIVE SHOWS IN MONTREAL
(and everywhere else...)

October 8, 2010
The Strawbs at théâtre Outremont
STRAWBS SHINE-ON IN BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE!
A review by Stephen Takacsy
After 2009's sold-out performance at Café Campus, the STRAWBS were invited back to Montreal to play in a much bigger venue, the majestic Outremont Theater. The old elegant concert hall suited the band and the music much better this time and the turn-out did not disappoint.

The boys came out blazing with a raunchy version of Turn Me Round (from Deep Cuts) followed by the classic staple New World which Dave Cousins always nails with his insatiable vocals. The mellower Flower And The Young Man (also from Grave New World) gave some respite before a one-two punch of Chas Cronk's powerful Promised Land (from Nomadness) and another classic, Ghosts, both hair-raising renditions during which Dave Lambert was absolutely on fire! The delicate So Close And Yet So Far Away (also from Deep Cuts) allowed the band to catch their breath before the rocking epic Down By The Sea/The River (from Bursting at the Seams) closed off the first set.

The second set featured the highly anticipated and never done live before, entire Hero and Heroine album, which the band hit out of the ball park. So intense and professionally executed was this performance, in the exact order of the studio album, that the crowd responded ovation after ovation. The set ended with a reprise of Round And Round with Cousins again nailing it with seemingly supernatural vocal power, and fans clamored for an encore while the pre-recorded Hero's Theme blared in the background. The Strawbs returned with the classic Lay Down and a heart-wrenching rendition of Where Silent Shadows Fall (aka The Valiant Soldier from the latest studio album Dancing with the Devil's Beat).

Kudos to the new old guys, John Young and Tony Fernandez, who were both rock solid. All in all, an extremely satisfying performance which left most fans giddy. Our sincere appreciation to the band for the monumental effort in putting together this show and performing it to perfection.

Check-out the excellent pictures that our good friend Hugues shared with us in the Concert Photos page.

September 10, 2010
Mahogany Frog at Club Lambi
A review by Robert Dansereau
Manitoba-based Mahogany Frog visited Montreal on September 9 at the Club Lambi as part of their North East tour that saw them play at ProgDay 2010 in North Carolina. When our team agreed to produce the show, there was barely 2 1/2 weeks before the event so we didn't have much time as far as promotion and awareness of the event. But what the heck, it's the mighty Mahogany Frog and we couldn't pass the opportunity of having them in town.

So we contacted Club Lambi, where the group played a few years back, and the place was available on the 9th. We didn't expect a big crowd with the combination of a weekday show and the lack of time to promote the show, but yesterday's crowd of 30 was still a bit disappointing.

But Mahogany Frog did anything but disappoint. The modest but very enthusiastic audience really got their money's worth and then some! The group is composed of four highly talented multi-instrumentalists: Jesse Warkentin on guitars and keyboards, Graham Epp on guitars, keyboards and trumpet, Scott Ellenberger on bass and trumpet and Andy Rudolph, on drums/percussion and electronics. The band stepped onstage at around 9:00 PM for a first set of approximately 50 minutes, followed half an hour later by another set of the same lenght. These guys were on fire! From the most delicate melodies to the most intense blistering overdriven feedbacks, the group was on a roll, presenting their popular tracks from their latest albums, as well as new material from their upcoming CD.

A flawless, fluid performance from the 4 guys, packed ever so tightly on such a small stage with so many instruments! Some fans were dancing their hearts out in front of the stage while us old prog fans, enjoyed every note that was hurled at us on our stools at the back. Creative, imaginative, fun, intense and oh so well executed, that's your typical Mahogany Frog set, folks! And surprise... for the encore, the guys treated us to a most energetic interpretation of Bubeck's Blue Rondo à la Turk! absolutely magnificent! A perfect ending to a fun evening of top-notch entertainment.

The Club Lambi is a modest club on St-Laurent boulevard, but with a fine sound tech who made the music loud but clear and well-balanced in this warm and welcoming hall, and a gracious club owner who went out of his way to accomodate us, we'll return to this fun little club on the Main for other events.

I want to thank everyone who took time out of their busy schedule and came on a Thursday, and I am glad that they got rewarded by this superb performance. And I want also to thank the band for their energy and their effort to drop by Montreal on their North-American tour, you guys deserve a lot of respect for your selflessness and your pure enthusiasm.

Check out the excellent pictures taken by Hugues Bergevin in the Concert Photos section. Johnson Cummins of the Montreal Mirror wrote a great review of the show.

July 12, 2010
Steve Hackett and Renaissance at the PDA
A concert review by Robert Dansereau
Only one word can describe the concert I had the pleasure to see in Montreal on July 9th, 2010 featuring Renaissance and the electric Steve Hackett band... magical!

From the perfect setlist of both bands to the amazing lineup of world-class musicians, that double bill at the Place Des Art in Montreal was one of the greatest "prog" events to hit the city this year!

Renaissance was simply superb, Annie Haslam was in fine shape and her voice was simply heavenly. Annie and Michael Dunford have surrounded themselves with splendid musicians, among others Tom Brislin and Rave Tesar on keys and Dave Keyes on bass, and offered a great set that included many classics and and some material from their brand new EP The Mystic and the Muse. Their setlist: Prologue, Things I Don't Understand, The Mystic and the Muse, Running Hard, Carpet of the Sun, and for the encore, Mother Russia. They played for about an hour and were rewarded with two enthusiastic standing ovations by the sold-out crowd.

Then on to Steve Hackett. Words can hardly describe how amazing this show was, but i'll try. The band stepped onstage at 9:30 and started with an energetic version of Mechanical Bride, immediately followed by Everyday. I just sat there, marvelling at the perfect performance offered by the master. A very high level of energy and an obvious chemistry between the band members, added to the great acoustic of the théâtre Maisonneuve and the impeccable sound offered by their sound engineer, made for a very captivating and especially delightful show. The set included the great Hackett classics like Ace of Wands, The Steppes, Emerald & Ash, Fire on the Moon, Serpentine Song, Spectral Mornings, Sleepers, Still Waters, as well as a few chosen Genesis classics, like a surprising version of Blood on the Rooftops with vocals from Gary O'Toole, an energetic interpretation of Los Endos, and of course, Firth of Fifth in its entirety including the piano intro by Roger King. They concluded the show with a vigorous version of Clocks with a mind-blowing, jaw dropping drum solo by mister O'toole.

The team was well rounded-off by the zany Nick Beggs, wearing his goofy ponytails and PVC (not leather) dress, who was amazing on the stick and the Rickenbacker bass, the very lovely Amanda Lehmann on guitars and vocals, and Rob Townsend on saxes and flutes.

Both bands kindly came out after the show to sign autographs, A phenomenal evening of top-notch progressive rock.

Here are a few pictures taken by Marc Lafontaine and I, of the Hackett show.

May 6, 2010
RoSFest 2010 - A Review
A review by Robert Dansereau
Going to the Rites Of Spring Festival (RoSFest) in Pennsylvania has become an annual tradition for me over the last few years, and this year was no exception. So it is with anticipation that I embarked with a friend on the 12-hour drive from Montreal to Gettysburg, PA... home of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg address, and the bloody Battle of Gettysburg during the Civil War in 1863. A lovely village that would be comparable to St-Sauveur without the mountains... this place holds a very high historical importance for Americans.

We arrived on Friday, April 30 just in time to check in at our hotels and to head to the Majestic Theater, a lovely auditorium with great acoustics, plenty of room for vendors upstairs and surrounded by little Cafés, bistros, restaurants and pubs

First on the stage was Montreal band Mystery, who performed a magnificent set, a mix of the material from their two latest albums. The new material from their latest album is great, and was performed live for the very first time by them. An excellent way to kick off things.

After a quick bite at the Lincoln diner, it was time for Pendragon, They played a simply phenomenal show. Nick Barrett is an incredible guitarist! They played all the big Pendie hits like Paintbox and Masters of illusion, along with all the tracks from their new album Pure. I loved it! Nick presented their new drummer, Scott higham, an extremely dynamic guy! Clive Nolan was always splendid on the keys. I must shamefully admit that I dosed off once or twice during the set... The 11+ hour drive was starting to catch-up with me.

The after hours show with Days Before Tomorrow was really fun, but most people were in the lobby catching up with each other. I bailed out at 1:45 because I needed my beauty sleep.

Day two on Saturday was beautiful, a really warm and sunny day. I skipped Ajalon at 11 AM to have some quiet time to have a nice lunch in downtown Gettysburg.

After enjoying some great time with friends, it was time for the Manning set around 2 PM. Guy Manning was accompanied by seven musicians, and performed a superb set. Such variety in his music, his compositions are really ear-catching. Aside from a few inconsistencies in the mix (some instruments were overwhelming, others were inaudible), the performance was most excellent. And that young guitarist, Chris Catling... wow! One of the finest guitar players i've heard in years! He plays with much soul.

After the set, a bunch of us went to this really cool irish pub, the GarryOwen pub, where they had a very respectable selection of beer on tap and fine scotches, plus great food too! George and Krista joined us with the guys from Von Hertzen. I arrived a bit late for the Gazpacho show (missed 2 or 3 tracks) but really enjoyed their set. Very talented kids, original and captivating compositions. The stage was bathed in subdued lighting, and they may be a bit static at times, but i'm just nit picking because it was a very enjoyable performance.

Back again for dinner and drinks at the irish pub with the guys from Magic Pie, up until 9:00 for the long-awaited Renaissance show. Oh... my... god!!! It was incredible! Annie Haslam has not lost one bit of her magnificent voice, the whole show just moved me to tears. Yeah, it's geeky to declare that but that's just how it grabbed me! The impeccable musicians accompanying Annie and Michael Dunford did a top notch job of covering the great classics like Carpet of the Sun, Running Hard, Ocean Gypsy and Mother Russia. Extremely emotional, powerful and beautiful. Tom Brislin's piano work was simply outstanding and a highlight of the entire weekend for me.

What an amazing day that was. I went to bed early because I needed to be in shape for day three!

Sunday shaped-up to be a bit cloudy with a few showers here and there in between the sun rays. The day began with DeeExpus, a great british formation. Sadly, lead singer Tony Wright was suffering of a bad case of laryngitis and had much trouble hitting the high notes, he was utterly disappointed and discouraged during the performance, but carried on, and his mates stepped-in and filled-in where his vocals faltered. This unfortunate turn of events, along with the dramatic tone of some of the songs themes, made for quite an emotional show. Even in adversity, they still managed to present a performance that earned them a long and warm standing ovation at the end of their set. Top marks for the effort and their "show must go on" attitude!

Must be something in the air because many people were affected by sore throats and stuffed sinuses at the venue...

On to one of my favorite performances of the weekend, the most excellent Oblivion Sun, spearheaded by original Happy the Man members Stan Whitaker on guitars and vocals and Frank Wyatt on saxophone and keyboards, along with Bill Plummer on keys and vocals, Bill Brasso on drums and Dave Hughes on bass. It was so wonderful to see Stan in such great shape after the terrible cancer that afflicted him a few years ago. The performance was sublime. Stan's guitar work was nothing short of phenomenal. Poor Dave couldn't sing because he was one of the other sore throat victims of the weekend. It was just a total pleasure from the first to the last note. They played several Happy the Man Tracks along with the Oblivion Sun fan favorites.

In the late afternoon, we were treated to an energetic performance by the Von Hertzen Brothers, musically an impeccable performance, however their compositions just didn't "hook" me. Some people complained of a very LOUD performance were earplugs should have been mandatory, but overall, they were greeted with warm applauses.

And finally, they kept the best for dessert as they say, we were treated to a good serving of Magic Pie. The Norwegian sextet just started getting back on their feet after losing all their musical instruments in a fire that destroyed Gilbert Marshall's studio a month ago, so it has been a race against time to find new gear, reprogram all the keyboards and rehearse... but against all odds, they performed a nearly flawless set. The group performed material from their two hugely succesful CDs, as well as brand new songs from their upcoming CD entitled The Suffering Joy, to be released soon. New singer Eirik Hannsen has excellent pipes and fit in with the old material as well as the new, a captivating storyteller also. They ended their set with Gilbert's excellent Motions of Desire, and began another song but they were cut short by the strict 11 PM house rules... A glorious end to the weekend.

A very heartfelt thanks to George and Krista, and the magnificent team behind RoSFest for another world-class production. Back home on Monday after a long 13-hour drive, but oh so many great memories!

April 27, 2010
Transatlantic In Montreal
A review by Robert Dansereau
I had the pleasure of seeing Transatlantic play in Montreal at the Metropolis on Wednesday, April 21. It was their first performance in Montreal and a fine performance it was! It had been over 10 years since I discovered the band and ever since then, I had hoped to catch them live one day, and you know what? It was worth every minute I waited!

This was a grand performance, and the exuberant reaction of the crowd certainly confirmed it. The first time I saw that particular configuration at the metropolis, with reserved seats (rather tightly squeezed) on the floor. I was particularly impressed by the fact that the place was nearly sold out, a crowd I would evaluate at around 1200, or more, I did not know there were so many fans of contemporary symphonic progressive rock in Montreal. Granted, between the Dream Theater fans, the Marillion fans, ands the Transatlantic fans from Ontario and Quebec City, it was easy to imagine that this would be an imposing crowd, but still, I couldn't resist looking at the crowd behind me and thinking... prog is back baby!

And it was definitely a generous show, 3 hours not counting the intermission. The show was divided in two parts: For the first portion of the show, the band performed The Whirlwind in its entirety. After a 20/25 min. intermission, they came back to play tracks from their first two albums, including All of the Above, We All Need Some Light and Duel With the Devil. They concluded the show with Bridge Across Forever and Stranger in Your Soul for the encore. The band was in fine form and played with energy and enthusiam to an equally enthusiastic crowd. Generous standing ovations between each song, the audience were treated to a great, fun show from seasoned musicians in their prime.

Neal was all dressed in black, looking like a cross between a preacher and Johnny Cash, Mike had on the strangest of baggy, beige jumpsuit I had seen, and didn't wear a baseball cap, showing the gray streak in his long hair... he might be getting old but he ain't lost one bit of his energy! Roine and Pete wore the classic goofy patterned shirts and Daniel was a little bit to the back of the stage, surrounded by all of his instruments, and with his black beard, long hair and dark aviator glasses, looked a bit like a young Jeff Lynne.

Neal was stong on the keyboards and his voice was clear... he forgot a few lyrics during The Whirlwind, prompting humorous comments from Mike. Pete was just fantastic on the bass and vocals, but that's his usual way of playing. Roine offered some wonderful guital solos, but lagged a bit at certain times, and he seemed to have issues with his pedal board. Mike was very good, decreasing his furor a notch from his Dream Theater energy level to adjust to the more symphonic material. And finally, Daniel rounded off things very nicely, adding textures with his vocals and acoustic guitar, he made the whole thing sound tighter and better. At one point during Stranger in your Soul, Neal ran quickly towards Mike and moved over on drums while Mike was standing up, playing on the cymbals, and Pete took over the hammond while Daniel stood behind him, playing on his bass! You really had to see it to believe it!

The sound was surprisingly good. I have never been a big fan of the Metropolis, because of its lack of confort and muddy sound, but after about 20 minutes through the show, they really had fined-tuned the levels to near perfection. Merchandising literally flew off the tables and by the end of the show, they were nearly out of CDs and shirts. Many friendly and familiar faces at the show, even Nick D'Virgillio was there to say hello to his old bandmate.

This was a very special show for me, from a band I truly like, and they didn't dissapoint me. A perfect evening for me and judging from the exuberant reaction of the crowd, an excellent evening for many people in the audience.

April 18, 2010
Tramp of the Century at Bar Chez Maurice
A review by Robert Dansereau
Montreal's Supertramp tribute band Tramp of the Century played on Saturday, April 17 at Bar Chez Maurice in St-Lazare, to a packed auditorium. My first time seeing Tramp of the Century, and my first time at Bar Chez Maurice and all I can say it was well worth the trip!

These guys put on a fantastic show! All the great Supertramp classics are played impeccably, and given a personal touch. The sextet is having a great time onstage, and there is a chemistry between the band members that really reflect in their play. The group is composed of Richard Guérard, guitarist and lead vocalist in Rick Davies' range, Bernard Baribeau on saxophone and clarinet, Claude Paré on the piano and lead vocal in Roger Hodgson's range, Charles Bellerose on bass and vocals, Nicolas Beaudoin on drums and vocals, and their fearless leader, Roger Leclerc on piano and vocals. Both vocalists have a great handle of the Supertramp repertoire and the pipes to deliver them, and what can I say about Charles, the bassist, by far the most exuberant and energetic member of the team, and together with Nicolas on drums, offer a top-notch rhythm section. Bernard's saxophone work was splendid, and would impress Helliwell himself!

Click on the images above for a bigger version - Photos ©2010 Robert Dansereau

The setlist consisted of the major hits from the various eras of the legendary British band including among others Bloody Well Right, It's Raining Again, Breakfast in America, Hide in Your Shell, Give A Little Bit, Goodbye Stranger, Asylum, Logical Song, Rudy, Gone Hollywood, a short acoustic portion that included Easy does it and Sister Moonshine and ended with the killer trio of Fools Overture, School and Crime of the Century.

It was a great, captivating show and they are definitely on my list of bands to see again. If you get a chance to catch 'em live, don't hesitate because it's a guaranteed evening of excellent entertainment!

April 15, 2010
Emerson and Lake at the PDA
A review by Robert Dansereau
Legendary musicians Keith Emerson and Greg Lake played at the Théâtre Maisonneuve of the Place des Arts to a packed auditorium of nearly 1400 people on Tuesday, April 13. A long-anticipated return to Montreal, these two veterans of progressive rock billed the show as an intimate evening with E & L, and many of us thought of seeing Keith on a grand piano and Greg with an acoustic guitar, but it was much more elaborate than that!

First hint was the elaborate studio-like decor, and Keith's full set of keyboards, including the famous modular moog behemoth, sitting nearly 9 feet high and according to one of the road technicians, sucking up over 1.6 KW all by itself! added to that a few Korgs, Hammonds and two Leslies for good measure!

The two musicians arrived onstage at 8:23 and were greeted by a spontaneous standing ovation. Keith began with a melancholic piano solo, that segued into ELP's From The Beginning. They performed a great selection of classics from The Nice, King Crimson, Keith' s solo work and of course, Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

Their setlist consisted of From The Beginning, I Talk to the Wind, Bitches Crystal, Barbarian, Take A Pebble/Tarkus, followed by a 20-min. intermission, then on to C'est La Vie, with accordion and all, Prelude to a Hope (Keith Emerson), America/Rondo, then the two fellows took a break for a short but fun Q & A where Keith and Greg discussed about future tour plans with their old pal Carl, and kindly signed autographs for a few fans. They finished with a rousing version of Pirates and came back for the encore to offer Lucky man.

Keith & Greg during rehearsal

After his laryngitis scare a few days earlier, Greg's voice was surprisingly good and clear, and successfully catapulted us back in the golden years of the band in the late 70s. And Keith's keyboard work, although a bit hesitant at times, was heartwarming, considering that he had several major surgeries to his hand, nearly ending his career.

The famed monster modular moog!

I was privileged to sit in for a while in the hall during rehearsal, and they performed Karn Evil, 1st Impression, Part 2, which sounded great, but was dropped however at the last minute from the setlist. The two gentlemen were in good spirits and enjoyed their time in Montreal, and even though Keith has done this thousands of times in front of massive crowds, he was still was a bit nervous before the show but it didn't show at all onstage. The professionalism and quality of the organizer's team, headed by tech wiz and prog geek Luc Maltais, along with Keith and Greg's impeccable crew, ensured a top-notch show with fantastic acoustics. A big thanks to Kim and Stephen for organizing this fantastic evening of great memories from our youth!

If anyone took pictures during the show and want to share them with us, please send me an email, i'll add them to our pictures page.

April 15, 2010
Karcius at La Place à Côté
A review by Robert Dansereau
Finally back onstage after over a year of silence, Montreal's own Karcius was at Place à Côté last Saturday for a great evening of top notch entertainment, accompanied by opening band Myxomatosis.

The evening began around 9:30 PM with a sharp and energetic performance by Myxomatosis, a young and talented Montreal band that plays a clever mix of hard rock with metallic overtones, alternative and prog rock. The group is composed of Simon Brault on bass, Alex Pelletier on vocals, Marc Papillon on guitar and Olivier Laroche on drums. A great show that really set the tone for the evening.

Then on to the main course of the evening, at 10:30 PM, Karcius jumped onstage and perfomed a powerful set to a crowd of over 70 people. And this show featured Karcius' brand new bassist, Sylvain Auclair, also of JellyFiche, Heaven's Cry and Lazarus Heart, a brillant bass player, stick player and vocalist. Simon had a few issues with his ampflier, who misbehaved a bit during the evening, but showed to the crowd that his skills on the guitar are more amazing than ever! Mingan and Thomas gave an ardent and enthusiastic performance throughout the evening. The set was composed mostly of material from their new album, with a few sprinkles of old classics from their two first albums. They ended the evening with a surprise, Karcius' first vocal performance ever, as Sylvain and the gang offered a delicious version of Pink Floyd's Dogs!

The band's former bassist, Dominique, was there to cheer on the band and take care of merchandizing. A great show by both bands on the warmest April 3rd in recorded history!

October 25, 2009
ProgtoberFest V: A review
By Robert Dansereau
The fifth edition of ProgtoberFest was held last weekend at the Kailash Mital Theatre of the Carleton University, and I can say this was one of the finest event so far! From their top notch headliner Nathan Mahl featuring Guy Leblanc, to the brilliant avant garde fusion sounds of The Rebel Wheel, and from the mythical, magical Orco Muto featuring Goblin's legendary keyboardist, Maurizio Guarini to the energetic space rock of Ambisonic from Toronto, there was really something for everyone!

The day began a few minutes late with Toronto's Ambisonic: A space rock duo composed of Paul Barry on drums and piano, and Erik Culp on guitar, moog, and taurus pedals. They describe themselves humoristically as "Intense instrumental groove-freakout-power-prog-sonic mayhem performed by two guys with a lot of limbs". It was quite a performance! Paul is an incredibly energetic and talented drummer, a necessity for the very intense rhythms of their music. Despite a few sound glitches and a broken cymbal, it was a great, dynamic set with lots of booming, thunderous bass pedal work and some very catchy melodies. They really set the tone for the entire day. Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/spaceprog.

A last-minute change to the lineup saw Quebec-based Red Sand drop out to be replaced by Ottawa's Rebel Wheel, a great prog fusion band with clever avant garde overtones. Described as a "frenetic mix of rock aggression, odd-meter vamps, and turn-on-a-dime arrangements", the band is composed of Aaron Clark on drums, Claude Prince on bass and Angie MacIvor on saxes, vocals and keyboards, and last but not least, highly acclaimed guitarist David Campbell, who was pulling double duty today as he was also part of Nathan Mahl's lineup. A splendid performance from the gang, featuring a great mix of material from their first album Diagramma, as well as new compositions from their upcoming album. They also performed a jaw-dropping, mesmerizing interpretation of Jethro Tull's Cross-Eyed Mary that blew my socks off! These guys are truly fantastic, a great, fun show! Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/rebelwheel.

Then on to dinner break, where my friends Yves, Tom, Warren and I were again invited to our dear friend Greg's home for a fantastic meal of Sechuan food! Greg lives just a few streets away from the Carlton U campus, so we had plenty of time to savour the food, the fine beers and the excellent company... and we were back at the auditorium just in time for the next performance.

Probably the most anticipated performance of the evening, Toronto trio Orco Muto features Maurizio Guarini, keyboardist from the legendary Italian band Goblin and the rhythm section of the canadian "metal / jazz " band The Look People, Chris Gartner on bass and the wild and zany Great Bob Scott on drums. Bob arrived onstage dressed in a white body suit and bowler hat, familiarized by Malcom McDowell in the movie A Clockwork Orange. Machiavelical heavy, dark prog, the band played mostly classical Goblin material including Zombi, Tenebrae, Dr. Frankenstein, Dawn of the Dead, Profondo Rosso, Suspiria, and with a few new compositions, including Bone Slurry and Black Dog. The trio format meant of course that there were several triggered samples, but the three amigos kept quite busy onstage, from Maurizio's soaring church organ solos, to Bob's crazy percussion antics while wearing a creature of the lagoon mask, to Chris' eerie synthetized bass tones. A phenomenal performance of incredible caliber... wow! You couldn't find a better band to go with the theme of Progtoberfest!

And finally, the evening concluded with Ottawa's own Unicorn recording artists Nathan Mahl with their brilliant Canterbury-inspired prog/fusion, featuring Guy LeBlanc on keyboards, vocals and recorders, Guy Dagenais on bass and vocals, Alain Bergeron on drums and David Campbell on guitars and vocals. The quartet performed material from their stunning new album Exodus, as well as classics from the albums Shadows Unbound, the Heretik trilogy, and even their debut Parallel Eccentricities. Guy was in fine form, wearing what could be described as a pirate suit... aarr, matey! ...and offering many fiery keyboard solos, and even pulling out the recorder for When all was well, which he played for the very first time live. The guys concluded their performance with the spine-tingling epic Carpe Diem. What a great way to end the evening! Check their music on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/nathanmahl.

Thanks again to our friend and excellent host, Mark Keill, and all the Progtoberfest team, for putting on this yearly prog event which has become a great autumn tradition for many of us!