Pendragon 30th Anniversary Show Sat 22nd Jun 2008
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Live Performance Reviews
Forum Description: Performance Reviews by Members
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=49524
Printed Date: December 22 2024 at 21:32
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 11.01 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Pendragon 30th Anniversary Show Sat 22nd Jun 2008
Posted By: sigod
Subject: Pendragon 30th Anniversary Show Sat 22nd Jun 2008
Date Posted: June 17 2008 at 17:45
|
Pendragon @ The Peel (Saturday, 14th June 2008) There have been many false starts to the much touted ‘progressive rock revival’ in recent years. So many in fact, this writer truly believes that such a thing is never likely to significantly occur again. There are however, signs that on a small scale at least, the blood is beginning to return to some parts of prog that other genres cannot reach. Take The Peel in Kingston for example, once a sleepy London pub but is now fast becoming the focus of the modern progressive scene in South East England. Over the 18 months since I’ve been frequenting the establishment, I’ve seen the audiences grow from a dedicated few to the kind of numbers that used to haunt the Marquee Club in Soho back in the 1980’s. This fact wasn’t lost on Pendragon’s Nick Barrett as he passed comment upon this very phenomenon from the stage of a packed Peel last Saturday night. Pendragon know what they are talking about. They are one of the original batch of new wave prog bands (along with Marillon, IQ and a recently revived Twelfth Night) who made the Marquee their home during the 1980’s. Their path however has not been an easy one to navigate and have encountered their fair share of hard times along the way. The good news is that they appear to have emerged from the other side, a tougher, leaner and altogether more musically relevant band than the one that took its first tentative steps all those years ago. There is a palpable sense of history being played out here tonight as it is 30 years to the day since Pendragon played their very first live show. The crowd acknowledged this fact with a rapturous reception as the band walked onstage and launched into ‘Walls Of Babylon’ from The Window Of Life album. After an indifferent show a few nights previously, it was immediately obvious that Pendragon were out for blood this time around as Nick Barrett welcomed the crowd and informed us all of how truly special this particular show was. Clive Nolan exchanged smiles with the new boy in the band, drummer Scott Higham. During ‘Circus’, Scott appeared to be on a one man crusade to whip the crowd into a frenzy. He grinned, he gurned, he waved, he shouted, and in fact, if you had any wet washing with you, I’m sure you could have thrown them in with him and they would been tumble dried in minutes. Highlights of the show for me included the unexpectedly powerful ‘Wishing Well’ from the Believe album. This track was not a personal favourite of mine yet as is so often the case when you hear a song live, it plundered a plethora of new emotions which has subsequently sent me scuttling back to the studio album to re-examine my previous preconceptions. ‘Nostradamus’ however (which I cannot stop calling Stargazing because of it’s incredibly hooky chorus line) is a personal favourite and if you will forgive my French, rocked like a b*****d. ‘Learning Curve’ is not a song I’m too familiar with but Peter Gee really shone on this number. Like many bass players, our Mr Gee is a quiet, unassuming presence on stage but is always plugging away in the background with an array of inventive bass runs, keyboard work and bass pedals. Again, this is something you can only see when a band is right in front of you making the music in real time. The show was truly in its stride by now and we were treated to a moving version of ‘Paintbox’ to which the crowd sang along gleefully. It was the track ‘Breaking The Spell’ however that really brought the show into sharp focus and gave Nick Barrett a chance to test his mettle as a guitarist. It was an interesting moment for me. I’ve seen the band on a number of occasions but would not call myself a fanatical Pendragon follower. That said, during this song, I finally understood what makes this group so compulsive to witness on stage. As they played, I glanced over at Nick Barrett during the extended solo in the middle of the song and saw something in his eye that gave me pause for thought. It was obvious that as he played, he really, really meant it. Every note came directly from the heart and suddenly, this was an entirely different show. 30 years of hard work, heartache, happiness, frustration and intent unexpectedly landed right in my lap and I experienced a kind of bizarre vertigo from the musical mountain these guys have had to climb to get here tonight. It’s something that the rest of the crowd had known from the start of the evening and I stared rather sheepishly around me feeling simultaneously alone and a part of something special. We were nearing the end of the evening and the band played a chilling version of ‘The Shadow’. I watched quietly as Clive Nolan bobbed his head in time with opening section, his face hidden from view by a curtain of hair. I’m reminded that Tracy Hitchings sang on the album version and it added an unexpected element of poignancy. Cue the last song of the main set ‘The Voyager’ from The World album which closed the show with a rush of emotion and the band left the stage with the crowd chanting their name. We were treated to a double encore ‘Masters Of Illusion’ which was a suitably grand spectacle given the nature of the show. Pendragon do big sweeping themes very well and they don’t really come much bigger than this. After another brief pause, the last song of the night was ‘2am’. I’ve never seen this played live before but I have seen the band perform a version on DVD. True to the DVD, our Mr Barrett steped down into the crowd and wandered around like a modern day Sinatra which was a nice touch. It broke the imaginary fourth wall between crowd and performer and added real weight to the lyrics. It was a great way to end a night full of personal revelation and public affirmation. With the show over, we wandered out into the night. I looked back at The Peel and was reminded why this band work so well as a unit; it is simple chemistry. You can be as fast as lightening across a keyboard or guitar but it will all be for naught if you can’t find that spark that makes a song special. I don’t pretend to understand what has kept this band together all these years or why it’s still working so well after such a long time but I do know that what I witnessed that night was what you always want to see in a band; good music that rings true. Pendragon know that honesty is the best policy. ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Replies:
Posted By: Jim Garten
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 03:44
|
Great to see a properly written review, Simon - most reviews remind you of the old saying "those who can, do, those who can't criticise"; perhaps it's because you know what it's like as a musician you were able to write so perceptively.
Nice one, matey  ------------- 
Jon Lord 1941 - 2012 |
Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 05:58
|
Thanks very much sir.
------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Blacksword
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 08:29
|
Great review Simon, and good to hear from you again.
Sounds like a really good night. I had planned to go, but couldn't make it. I saw Pendragon last year at the Mean Fiddler, and they were excellent. It was a pretty packed house that night too. We should arrange another beer and curry night soon! |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 09:15
|
Nice review Simon, I really wish I'd been able to go now. Glad to hear you've finally "got" Pendragon.
And if anyone knows anything about manic drummers, it's you!
|
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 09:49
|
It was indeed a really special night, the crowd were on tip top form just as much as the band. Altogether it just worked in a really special way!
Nice review Simon
 R x
|
Posted By: Alucard
Date Posted: June 18 2008 at 13:21
|
what the boys & girls said.....
and Yes, Pendragon is definetely part of these great Rock bands that makes you feel a special extra shiver when you see them perform on stage and the songs get litterally alive....
BTW valuable for all great live music.....
------------- Tadpoles keep screaming in my ear "Hey there! Rotter's Club! Explain the meaning of this song and share it" |
Posted By: sigod
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 04:54
|
Thank you Chaps and Chapesses. Yes Mr Blacksword, Garten & Chopper (sounds like a firm of solicitors) another prog curry in the near future would be a fantastic idea. Cheers. ------------- I must remind the right honourable gentleman that a monologue is not a decision. - Clement Atlee, on Winston Churchill |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 07:23
Making a totally irrelevant post (surely not! ) I was choosing which smiley to use and I came across this one.............
 Those of you who were at the Peel will get the joke! ha ha ha!!!! |
Posted By: chopper
Date Posted: June 19 2008 at 07:49
Good idea Mr Godfrey. We would make an excellent firm of solicitors. We could immediately sue Pallas for making a rubbish album.
I'm available for the next prog curry apart from the last week in July.
|
sigod wrote:Posted By: pealo
Date Posted: June 21 2008 at 08:37
|
Thanks for the review Simon- Its well written Although I confess I am a 100% pendragon fan. So I am slightly biased,but It was just the most amazing evening.... The very best I have seen the band in many years. I thought that Joe Crabtree had helped to raise the bar, but Scott Higham just helped raise it even more. The best is yet to come later this year! Well done to the Master guitarist that is Nick, Keyboard wizard Clive, The much underrated Peter, and the newboy Scott! - You guys are inspiring! Cheers, Andy ------------- Do you remember, Do you recall, the smell of school dining halls and backstreet brawls? |
Posted By: Wilcey
Date Posted: June 26 2008 at 16:05
|
NIck talks about his feelings about this gig in this months "ramblings" ........ entitiled "wow, wow and thrice wow!" ........... IT seems EVERYONE enjoyed their night at The Peel
http://www.pendragon.mu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2038 - http://www.pendragon.mu/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2038
|