The Paradox Twin
For those who wanted proper prog, The Paradox Twin brought this in spades. With much of the set drawn from their first album, The Importance of Mr Bedlam, this was a true exercise in quality progressive rock, with longer constructed musical pieces, time changes plenty, thought-filled and meaningful lyrics and top-quality musicianship.
That said, don’t expect a Yes, Genesis or Floyd-style prog band. The Paradox Twin can lean towards the heavier end of the genre with riffs and guitar aplenty, although not heavy enough to be considered metal, although there is softer technicality plenty, particularly from keyboard player and guitarist Danny Sorrell.
The Paradox Twin is one of those up-and-coming prog bands that deserve to be heard by a wider audience. Technically they are masters of the art and with singer Sarah Bayley an absolutely outstanding front woman with a phenomenal tone and turn of musical phrase. Her voice alone rides above the musical elements, transporting the listener.
With two albums currently under their belts, this acted as a perfect introduction to the band and enabled them to show off their wares. Songs such as Cycles and Moonblood with its soaring guitars through to Planeta with its bouncing keys, they showed quite how much of a complete article this band is.
I am Me. I am Free with its heavier guitar tune, stronger rhythms, and spacey effects built into a maelstrom of musical delight, at times moving the tempo up into a cosmic throb that would not be out of place in the Ozric’s set, before at full crescendo the key chorus and melody pours back through the piece and brings it back together.
This set was another crowd-pleaser for those who needed a deep dose of thought-provoking progressive pomposity. It was perfectly provided for. I could have easily listened to another forty-five minutes of the Paradox Twin. Oh well. Next time…
That Joe Payne
Special guest on the bill was That Joe Payne. As in, that Joe Payne who used to be in The Enid. Although Joe’s solo work and the material that he was responsible for in the Enid are poles apart. With a developing solo career Joe now has the opportunity to open himself up and be himself. Maverick, musical magician, showman.
What we got was a masterclass in how to perform to the highest level. We know Joe is a mercurial talent and an incredible performer, a man who has inordinate confidence in his performing and songwriting abilities. What we saw was him taking the next step up the ladder and showing himself as an established and meaningful musical force.
For those who had been indulged in the wonderful progginess of The Paradox Twin set, this was completely the opposite. Sure, Joe has the Prog credentials but this set, predominantly built around his recent album Bread and Circuses was as diverse as it could get.
What is so special about Joe is not that he has the most phenomenal voice and vocal range, but he matches this with his songwriting ability, and he most definitely has the song quality as well and the ability to bend those songs across numerous musical genres, although they are always very clearly Joe Payne. It’s inescapable.
With songs such as My Heart, River Runs Dry, and Despite Everything, he has a series of strong, powerful tunes with catchy choruses and strong, meaningful lyrics, all deliciously performed. With his vocals matching his visual performance, we move from soul diva to Shirley Basseyesque show tunes. He has the ability to write across all genres and throw it into one great mixing pot.
For By Name, By Nature he brought back to the stage Sarah Bayley from the Paradox Twin for an absolutely storming duet with both artists bringing out the hard-hitting big notes, vocally dualling and dueting perfectly.
Falling In Love is Easy has an 80s soft rock AOR feel that had the audience bouncing and singing along to the catchy chorus before he finished with the ultimate singalong and the only cover. However, what a cover. Who in their right mind would even consider attempting Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody with all vocal histrionics included….well That Joe Payne, and what a powerhouse of a performance it was.
He couldn’t have found more of a crowd-pleaser, and to pull it off in the manner in which he did was wonderfully remarkable. If Adam Lambert should ever quit Queen, then Brian and Roger need only call one man. Superlatives failed me, but wow, remarkable, incredible and quite simply, what a show. What a showman!
Ozric Tentacles
The Headline act are long-time psychedelic space-rockers Ozric Tentacles. For those who had enjoyed Hoopy Frood earlier in the day then this was the perfect end to the evening with their familiar trippy musical meanderings and twiddlings. This isn’t always easy music to listen to. Like all good work, it takes time to appreciate and understand, although, at times, some of the songs do have a tendency to roll into each other.
There is a similarity in approach, yet when broken down, it becomes clear that there are numerous musical ideas and influences floating around. As such, trying to classify them becomes difficult and pointless. They write great music. They write Ozric Tentacles music. That is their own genre, and they inhabit it alone.
The Ozrics are experts at building up vast musical walls of sound, sonic screens of wonder, and aural waterfalls and have the ability to fuse their musical output into a bowl of wonderment. From hard rock and electronica into dub and reggae the influences are all their and gel together in one wonderfully compelling noise.
With a wide set drawn across the years and their many albums, they provided a set that had something for all fans, both old and new. From Eternal Wheel from 1990s Erpland and The Domes of G’bal from 1989s Pungent Effulgent, they could do no wrong.
With Ed Wynne’s soaring guitars and Silas Neptune’s swirling keys and special effects, the tunes rose and fell, physically and mentally taking us in other directions. Close your eyes, and you’ll no longer be in Wokingham. Close your eyes and just be yourself.
Sunscape produced a cosmic chillout, and with the evening drawing in, it was the perfect musical backdrop to the changing skies. Songs such as Throbbe, Kick Muck, Jelly Lips and Sploosh took the audience aurally to faraway lands and neural worlds where they could relax and do their own thing. The intensity of the tunes built up into a neural assault, yet at its most intensive, the soft flute playing of Saskia Maxwell would gently bring you back to the gliding sliding lands.
This was a very stripped-back Ozrics show with minimal lighting (due to the early hour of the performance) and no additional special effects. There was no reliance on other forms of lighting effects and it was very much just the musicality of the band on the show. To pull this off was no mean feat and even throwing in a new unnamed song could not default from the experience being had.
This was quite simply a storming end to an absolutely brilliant day where every act stepped up to the mark and some. Roll on next year.
