LIVE AT DANFEST

I was really curious to hear what ZOPP would sound like in a live setting. They are the duo of Ryan Stevenson, the leader, composer, singer, and multi-instrumentalist. And a real drummer! That would be Andrea Moneta. Between these two guys, they can do it all in the studio. Doing this live though with just two? Tough gig(haha). So Ryan added a sax/flute player, a guitarist, and a bass/piano/synth player. A five piece here playing live at "The Musician", in Leicester, England, November 26, 2023. Released in 2024. So ZOPP have released two studio albums, and now two live records. And the live ones are their two very first shows. Apparently 5 weeks of rehearsals went into this latest show.

Ashley Raynor on bass here was a great choice. He's upfront and quite impressive. I have to say this album was so uplifting to listen to all last week. Like being warm and cozy in my warm little house while the blizzard rages outside. Those distorted keyboards that are Canterbury 101 are all over this album, more so than the studio records. It's like Dave Stewart in his younger days, although Dave stands alone in my opinion as the greatest Canterbury keyboardist.

We get those two 14 plus minute monsters from "Dominion" to open and close this record. That would be "You" and "Toxicity" and both are amazing here but I prefer "You". We get an unreleased track in "Perspektiv", and it sure sounds similar to the previous song "Uppmarksamhet", both are all instrumental, and they blend into each other here. Some majestic mellotron and organ on this new one. The only track from the debut is "Before The Light" which Ryan introduces as "a golden oldie".

Not a perfect record by any means, and I prefer the two studio albums to this, but talk about bringing a smile to my face every time I spun this recording. I love my Canterbury. Some real moments on this one, and they are throughout this 42 minute album. Highly recommended to Canterbury fans out there.

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