LoreleiProgFestival2009-2

THE LORELEI PROG FESTIVAL, ST GOARSHAUSEN, GERMANY, JULY 2009

[2]

My brief comments (for what it's worth) - FRIDAY:

ALSO EDEN - [The band led by the guy whom, I believe, runs the Summers End Festival in Lydney in Gloucestershire, which I attended last year. Nothing personal, I found them a bit pedestrian and uninspiring, just lacking some magic. Line-up: Huw Lloyd-Jones: vocals; Ian Hodson: keyboards/vocals; Simon Rogers: guitars/vocals; Steve Dunn: bass/guitars and Dave Roelofs: drums and percussion.]

ARENA - [Traditional progressive rock with an element of theatre, Arena's line-up comprises Mick Pointer (Drums), Clive Nolan (keyboards), Ian Salmon (Bass), Rob Sowden (Vocals) and John Mitchell (Guitars) - Mitchell and Nolan being members of It Bites, something about the vocalist just seemed retro and put me off, dunno, maybe it was his dress sense - couldn't help thinking that I prefer It Bites to Arena. John Mitchell is one helluva guitarist, though.]

AGENTS OF MERCY - [Swedish guitarist Roine Stolt, member of The Flower Kings and Transatlantic, was playing stuff from this, his new project. Line-up consisting of Nad Sylvan: Lead & Backing vocals & Mellotron; Roine Stolt: Composer - Guitars, Bass, Lead & Backing vocals; Zoltan Csörsz: Drumkit; Jonas Reingold: Fretless Bass & Taurus pedals;
Lalle Larsson: Piano & Synthesizer and Inger Ohlen-Reingold: Vocal & Percussion. Roine mentioned that he had met the rather camp-looking Bowie/Peter Gabriel soundalike vocalist Nad Sylvan on Internet - check out their MySpace link and decide for yourself. I liked some of the music, actually, definitely preferable to The Flower Kings. I spoke to Roine afterwards about his contribution to Dave Bainbridge's Songs For Luca cd and based on this, whether he had any religious convictions. Great guitarist, nice bloke.]

RIVERSIDE & GAZPACHO - [next page]

ALSO EDEN