PDA

View Full Version : Crescendo report (ENG)


rick_wakeman
08-28-2006, 06:01 PM
The place called L'esplanade du concié once again welcomed 7 items from the uncountable progressive rock tree leaves myriade. To my regret, all bands were into prog metal, which hadn’t been said most of the time. No tribute to Syd Barrett. The crowd was there, mostly for the D+1 Day. The former included tops of the “bill” such as MIKE MANRING (USA) and CRAZY WORLD (FIN). The D-Day, “softer”, included HAMADRYAD (CAN) and SPACED OUT (CAN) to crown the Québec evening.
The whole was filmed on a wide screen, upon a big stage, and I will not rest until repeating this, nearby the ocean, amongst a wide park on which one could be woodstocking, car park included.

CRESCENDO 2006 OR BEYOND PROG METAL

The rain, led by the clouds, on the way, eventually added some more Woodstock flair, even if she had been a good girl, except during the night of the 18th to the 19th, meanwhile, after playing drunk with young mere acquaintance, I had to take shelter like a tramp in a hotel of ghosts, not being able to find this crappy camp where I later settled for the event.
The official fest was preceded by OFF concerts at D-1, the former I didn’t attend. By the way, you won’t find here either any comment about R.T.D. (FRA) or about the MIKE MANRING (USA) auditorium event. Hallas. Mark you that R.T.D. (FRA) which guitarist i met months ago, was one of the two bands which gave concerts almost simultaneously with the OFF festival. Second one : HAMADRYAD (CAN). Another failure by me. Sorry to say I cannot comment, as I also failed to attend. Nevertheless, here is my personal report:
I - D.

MALDOROR OR BEYOND THE STORY

So the story began on a Friday, the eighteenth of August at 5:30 PM, with this NEMO (FRA) sounding band, magical for its words which put together, shape along their album l’Arbre cimetière a story that might be understood by some people. Now, all this was conceptually born from an idea that formed in one of the two persons minds who tried to explain me the concept form. About the content, one will have to listen to the album, if not to read the comic which is now shaped as a project. The album was played from the beginning to the end, and then MALDOROR (FRA) itself is the band who came like a troubadour to tell us this story. Troubadour, because it is a question of not forgetting that progressive rock is popular music at first, and that the free characteristic of the event is not without reminding this music principle. On the technical side, they scrupulously followed their words and their sounds. It seems to me they finished with an unreleased track.

HAMADRYAD OR BEYOND

Jean-François Déliet, bassist singer of the band, is highly friendly, and could win a whole audience friendship the way SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE (FRA) also could, thanks to a perpetual communication with it, and I shall say that the magic wich emanated from this band was more than music. Therefore, this communion with the public may eventually have filled the big void done by the first band’s singer (-keyboardist?). Yes indeed, the first HAMADRYAD (CAN) album titled The conservation of Mass, is grandiose, and the last one lacks this emotion. It’s much of a shame in view of such a technical construction of the album. For some others it’s an opposite opinion, and I must say I am quite stunned about this. For the rest, although this new HAMADRYAD (CAN) still has to prove its worth, this is a cult band maybe thanks to Jean François who could retrieve the situation. But let’s repeat : it’s my opinion. Ex singer is gone, and according to Jean François words, he doesn’t seem to come back. He is said to play in various errr night parties, doing blah covers, for people who doesn’t care about the artistic sense of the music. He has made his choice. C’est son choix, dixit Jean François.


SPACED OUT OR BEYOND THE MILKY WAY

Paradoxally, undoubtedly hearing this band playing in open air routed a bit the trip I should have done in this odyssey. And maybe the fact I was disappointed by the absence of the HAMADRYAD (CAN) singer had left me with a bad taste in my mouth, even if the concert given by HAMADRYAD (CAN) was excellent, with on top of that they even played lot of The Conservation Of Mass tracks. But like certain people, I might have wanted to expect something very great, i.e. lot of technical feats and a bit less surrealistic flights. But actually, SPACED OUT (CAN) is a weird band, and maybe I haven’t travelled enough in the magical space of Space to be in a position to appreciate the band at its true value. The communication was done, now undoubtedly with the unknown depth of our musical soul. Therefore, I felt like going onward through the communication with the terrestrial one, using the vocal cords. The most important thing is to know that SPACED OUT (CAN) is a band to be heard with more than the ears, but I was weak. By the way, it is worth taking note that whole lotta people prefer listening and sharing with progressive rock at home, inside oneself, with the intention of taking refuge in a parallel universe very very far from ours, very far from this huge impurity involved by dirty sullied bugs coming from e.g. a french star academy. (HAMADRYAD (CAN) played a anti-star academy song by the way, and it makes you feel so good).
SPACED OUT (CAN) remained true to itself and stuck to his machine distorted technicity. MALDOROR (FRA) is looking for a keyboardist. SPACED OUT (CAN) isn’t. SPACED OUT (CAN) needs a keyboardist. MALDOROR (FRA) can wait. That is what I think. Bands don’t think so.
Antoine Fafard and I fought about that when you’re playing live, machinery mustn’t come up except if necessary. I tried to understand why they used these tapes. But I realize that it’s nothing but words. Antoine showed himself as the most homely groovy among all the musicians I spent time with when they could grant me some time. I was disappointed to not have been able to travel that far, but Antoine is my friend. He is a very friendly guy. Vaxman check your mail.


II - D+1

SPHERIC UNIVERSE EXPERIENCE OR BEYOND METAL.

Finally ! Here we are, at the heart of progressive metal. This is a very moving band without any reproach (of course they didn’t upset me like CRAZY WORLD (FIN) did with the Since I’ve been loving you cover), grandiose, and constantly technical and rich. A new (again) French band which would have reached the top of the list without any doubt if its notoriety had been older or in case I would have known them better. These praiseworthy artists are led by a unique unpretentious worthy singer. They didn’t give any second retreat to the audience and … these are only words. An absolutely must listen. They almost restored my faith with metal. (I don’t like metal).

MIKE MANRING OR BEYOND THE HAPPINESS

Indeed, this is what mostly characterizes the character. Not only he is a bass magician, but really… What is certain is that there isn’t any word either to describe his technicity. Once again a unique bassist. But there again, you have a definite proof of the eternal love unveiled by music. Since, by discovering this character, having my feet firmly planted on the ground due to the fear to too high flying, I could learn something. Even if MIKE MANRING (USA) is more than a musician, even if his modesty unveil years of sharing with his favourite instrument and make show of prophecy, as much as ANEKDOTEN (SWE) musicians modesty brought to me, MIKE MANRING (USA) has a genius on being able to carrying us beyond everything as easily as a feather, and honestly, the last straw he played à la YES (ENG) in the middle of everybody, i.e. everyone. Nothing to say, but I wish I could do that the whole world could have attended his performance! Which lead us to the concert of :

CRAZY WORLD OR BEYOND THE END

Because after the band Five Fifteen of Crescendo 2005, then Mika Jarvinen is back with this brand new band’s name. He obviously performed all the LED ZEPPELIN (ENG) greatest hits. Charismatic guitarist and so groovy. Another PHENOMENAL keyboardist. MIKE MANRING (USA) was the cake under the icing at the end of this concert to continue the fest up to leave everyone rooted on the spot with notably an endless extraordinary and deeply hallucinating RICK WAKEMAN (ENG) keyboard with bass dialog. And of course an amazing performance by Mika. This “end” of fest is more than everything I could possibly have imagined.
Let’s not waste anymore time… I don’t think I will be there for the next CRESCENDO (FRA) fest, but if God wants it. Next time, the crescendo audience will be granted one day more, indeed who knows another OFF fest, which then will last a week. World notice.

Cédric Avril.
many thanx to Rebecca Orman for translation helping.

rick_wakeman
09-15-2006, 11:44 AM
http://www.dailymotion.com/digital-movida/video/xdbrt_crazy-world

http://www.dailymotion.com/digital-movida/video/xde01_spaced-out