THE WHIRLWIND

What was the defining prog album release of 2009? For sure, it was 'the Whirlwind'. For a super group this release did not disappoint, with all 4 participants contributing to contribute to an epic result. I'm so glad that I saw them play the entirety of the first disk LIVE at Victoria Park at the end of July 2010 (and what a warm up for the following evening when for the very first time I saw Emerson Lake & Palmer. Happy days/daze........). I feel truly honored and blessed to have seen this performance and the memory will stay with me for ever, particularly the competition and inter play between Morse and Portnoy vying for attention and well deserved adoration! Talk about upping the game that night, it was truly truly magical. That Saturday evening in London between 8 and 9.30pm, as the sun set over East London was a night for memories. As you might expect, with the musicians in attendance (to include Roine Stolt and the chap from Marillion) the reproduction of the cd was note perfect. As a lapsed Christian, I'm attuned to lyrics that might feel uncomfortable in a wider setting, but really, this is not in your face evangelism, the lyrics are both responsible and sensible (after all I can't see Roine putting his name to something overtly and obviously Christian). The musicianship is supreme, the way in which the album builds and peaks in an organismic manner at various times is the work of masters in the prog genre. To cap it all, for the encore Steve Hackett came on stage for the encore 'the return of the giant hogweed. Confirmation indeed, that the batten had been passed from the old to the new...........