Prog For Peart, Abingdon, England, UK, Day 1: 12 July 2024

Intro

Although I had been to The Northcourt (the small and intimate venue on the grounds of Abingdon United FC) several times for live performances by IT, Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate, Tiger Moth Tales and Red Bazar, Prog for Peart, now in its fourth year, had been one of the few fixtures in the prog calendar which I had not been able to attend previously. If I had the opportunity to put together a line-up showcasing the best that contemporary prog has to offer, I would have been hard-pressed to come up with a more impressive list than organiser Mark Cunningham. All profits from the festival are donated to a charity funding research into brain cancer, so supporting it has the added benefit of helping an excellent cause.

Ticket holders had the option of staying on site, with an ample parking area for motor homes and tent pitches around the fringes of the football field, all within a minute's walking distance of the venue. Campers had the option to use the showers and toilet facilities within the football club's premises, all kept impeccably clean and well-stocked with paper and hand wash throughout what was a very busy weekend. The event had an extended licence, until 2 AM on the Friday and Saturday (with a curfew for the music of midnight), operating in the lounge proper and in the hall with the stage. Catering was provided by Barry & JoJo from a trailer just outside the lounge and there were plenty of tables and chairs for relaxing and enjoying a bite to eat. The consensus was that the food was excellent and the service very helpful and friendly, with allergies and questions about ingredients and intolerances taken seriously. The coffee was a lifesaver too after the insipid flavoured water we were served in our hotel. We collectively hope that Barry & JoJo will return next year. Having subsisted off their hotdogs with more than generous helpings of mustard, I have to agree. For those who preferred to sample off-site cuisine, a nearby pizzeria did a roaring trade and Abingdon itself has a plethora of other options.

The breaks were generous and very well-timed, comfortably allowing for merch purchases in spite of the end-of-set queues, for assuaging thirst and hunger, and socialising. Within the hall itself, tables and chairs had been carefully positioned, taking account of the demographic profile of the audience and the demands of long (but wonderful) days. As it was being streamed, we respected an informal "exclusion zone" in front of the stage so as not to ruin anyone's enjoyment (although we broke through the invisible cordon to dance when the music's summoning became irresistible).

We travelled over on the Thursday for the warm-up in the bar courtesy of Progzilla's Buzz Elliott, put on free of charge, as we wanted to spend as much time with our friends as possible. Colour-coded wristbands were distributed among those present (blue for weekend passes plus green for those staying on site) reducing the logistical pressures for the first full day. As we arrived, I was greeted with the worst possible news: the band we had travelled 503 km to see had been forced to cancel that very morning owing to a resurgence of COVID-19. My friends had vacillated over whether to break the news right away or to let me find out and all eyes turned to me as I entered the bar (now I know what it must have felt like to be the stranger in town in a Western, though the attention I received was entirely compassionate). I admit I broke out the tissues once the news eventually sank in (I thought this was the customary leg pulling, alas, no), but I did not turn round and travel straight back as some joked with me over the course of the weekend that they had expected. Mark had spent the day trying desperately to find a band to stand in for them at very short notice, an endeavour in which he thankfully – and fortuitously – succeeded.

Buzz has been nicknamed "the human jukebox" with good reason. He played an impressive repertoire with his guitar and sequencer, including Tubular Bells and medleys from The Beatles, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel and Squeeze. His rendition of The Musical Box was given a rapturous reception and there were numerous calls for Supper's Ready, to which Buzz replied that he had played it a grand total of four times and found it far too stressful. Further highlights were Won't Get Fooled Again, Delilah (which had the by now rather merry gathering singing along) and the grand finale Hey Jude.

Line-up: Kieran Byrne: drums; Pete Cook: bass; Jack Hogg: vocals, guitar; Ai Sanchez: vocals.

VMBRA from Manchester set the bar high with an opening set at the punchier, heavier (though never overpoweringly so) end of the prog spectrum, interspersed with the occasional growl, playing several of their songs live for the very first time. Not that you would have realised this if they had not announced it, their playing both highly accomplished and self-assured. Ai Sanchez's voice soared beautifully above the guitars, perfectly complemented by Jack Hogg who alternated with her as lead vocalist and provided harmonies.

VMBRA

The highlights for me were Wyrm (featuring a Yes sample) and Submarines (I am a complete sucker for the sonar ping), the opening keyboards spine-tingling in the positive sense. Echelon provided a rousing conclusion to an excellent performance which left the audience eager for more. On the strength of what I had heard, I immediately purchased their CD combining Resvrgam and Delapsvs, both of which are available on their Bandcamp page. This is a band whose music I look forward to becoming better acquainted with and who are clearly in the ascendant.

Line-up: Curtis Adamczyk: vocals; Jopheus Burtonshaw: keyboards; Rick Burtonshaw: drums; Mark Worledge: guitar.

Keyboard wizard Jopheus Burtonshaw surely owns the coolest hat in prog, replete with a raven like a messenger from the Underworld. Far from being a distraction, this hint of theatricality serves to accentuate his absolute mastery of his craft, both technically and melodically.

I had the great pleasure of seeing the band perform at the Fusion Festival in 2023 and was even more favourably impressed this time round. Fluctus Quadratum were formed in 2019, with vocalist Curtis Adamczyk joining in 2022. This was reflected in the material, with an instrumental putting his "prog singer unoccupied during the twiddly bits" tactics to the test (he passed with flying colours).

Fluctus Quadtratum

Although the bass and acoustic guitar came from backing tracks, this did nothing to mar the set, Mark Worledge was excellent on guitar, adding emotional heft. The rippling keyboards, particularly prominent in Acquiescence II, were a joy to listen to, the music reflective and tinged with melancholy but never sombre. The interplay between Jopheus and Rick Burtonshaw (his father) on drums was a delight on Alone and the final track, the epic Direlight, was atmospheric verging on the gothic, with a heavier middle section and a brooding guitar solo.

Everything boding very well for the debut album Laplacian, which will hopefully be released in the not too distant future. In the meantime, I would recommend the self-titled EP to familiarise yourself with an excellent band.

Fluctus Quadratum On DPRP.net

Line-up: Fay Brotherhood: vocals ; Baz Cilia: bass; Maxine Cilia: keyboards; saxophone; Terry Vass: drums; Neil Wighton: guitar.

My first encounter with the exuberant prog-folk powerhouse which is Spriggan Mist was at HRH Prog in 2022, when they were accompanied by members of Jadoo-Tribal Dance, balancing swords on their heads with perfect comportment, making it look effortless. In Abingdon, the stage would have been too cramped to accommodate them, but their absence did not detract from the flamboyant spectacle that awaited the audience — far from it!

Spriggan Mist

Spriggan Mist are the only band I know who have inspired a new coinage, the verb "to sprigganise", meaning "to convert a person to the joys of Spriggan Mist; to rock a venue". They recently published an entire glossary of sprigganisms on their Facebook page, ranging from "spriggery proggery" to "Bazipede" — look them up! Unfortunately for Charlie Bramald, lead singer of Ghost Of The Machine, with whom the Spriggs (to borrow from the glossary) maintain a friendly rivalry, You've been ghosted! is freighted with other, less positive, connotations, so this is one area in which the Spriggs reign supreme.

The opening track, Isambard The Mechanical Dragon is a foot-tapping audience favourite, pulsating with energy. Cue vocalist Fay Brotherhood with her trademark extravagant headgear of foliage and ferns, inspired by pagan symbolism, regaling us with the catchy melody. Bassist Baz Cilia joked about how we could throw rotten fruit in temporary drummer Terry Vass' direction with impunity, as he would not be there next time. Heaven forfend, as he did a sterling job throughout!

Multi-instrumentalist Maxine Cilia seamlessly switched from guitar to saxophone to shoulder-slung keyboards with equal aplomb and Neil Wighton on guitar added depth and power.

You really wouldn't want to fall foul of Baz, as he teaches kick-boxing (together with Maxine) and his skills were on full display during Spriggan Dance and Faery Queen, which brought the set to a jubilant conclusion. Spriggan Mist are riotously entertaining and no audience can resist the urge to abandon their seats and succumb to the call of the dance. Prog has ample room for a bit of fun and escapism and Spriggan Mist deliver in spades.

Line-up: Ralph Cardell: guitar; John Jowitt: bass; Jargon (John Kosmidis): vocals; Pat Granger Sanders: keyboards; Fudge Smith: drums.

A complete change of mood and pace followed with Drifting Sun. I am not a great fan of labels, although some form of classification can be useful in order to convey the overall flavour of the music. In this instance, "neo-prog" seems most fitting. I have never understood why this term has negative connotations, as it is the subgenre I love and listen to most, so it will come as no surprise that I particularly enjoyed Drifting Sun.

Drifting Sun

The focus in the set was on the new album, Veil, by turns heavier, tinged with darkness, though never gloomy, suffused throughout with beautiful melodies. As you would expect from the line-up, the musicianship was superb, new guitarist Ralph Cardell a perfect fit.

With flamboyant bass meister John Jowitt on board, there was always going to be a welcome touch of levity and his trademark wiggle succeeded in eliciting a rare smile from Jargon, whose stage persona radiates a smouldering solemnity befitting the music.

Viking-themed epic The Thing (for which there is an excellent video on YouTube) involved the use of a certain prop complete with ginger hair and braided beard. John's question as he channelled his inner Norseman: "Does anybody want to polish my helmet?" gave rise to much mirth, both in the venue itself and subsequently online.

With an extensive back catalogue to draw upon, this is a band who deserve greater prominence and are absolutely excellent live.

Drifting Sun On DPRP.net

Line-up: Tom Ashcroft: drums; Mark Gatland: bass; Nick Jackson: vocals; guitar; Andy Rowberry: lead guitar; Tiffany Twisted: backing vocals.

ITs superlative set reminded me that it had been far too long since I had last seen them. Frontman Nick Jackson's T-shirt slogan: Daily Mail – Who buys this sh*t? speaks volumes about their politics, which form an integral part of their lyrics and subject matter. This is an aspect I find particularly appealing, as it imparts a grittier edge rooted in the real world, confronting it head on rather than seeking refuge in the more traditional literary and pastoral themes.

Tiffany Twisted's backing vocals proved to be an excellent addition, further enriching the overall live soundscape. Uncompromisingly rock-oriented, IT's music is punchy, fast-paced and requires discipline and perfect coordination. They did not disappoint.

It was a treat to hear Fighting for Freedom and Burn Parts One and Two from Departure alongside the perennial crowd-pleasers Revolution, The Path of Least Resistance and The Working Man.

IT On DPRP.net

Line-up: Andy Edwards: drums; Rob Groucutt: keyboards, guitar, vocals; John Jowitt: bass; Andy Nixon: vocals, guitar; Pete Riley: keyboards.

One of the reasons why this festival was always going to be unmissable was the first ever live appearance of Freedom To Glide. As Andy Nixon explained, approximately five months earlier, Andy Edwards, John Jowitt and Rob Groucutt of Rain (not to be confused with F2G's debut album of the same name) began rehearsing with Andy and Pete to bring the duo's music to the stage, an inspired choice.

A trilogy of albums (Rain, marking the centenary of World War One, Fall and Seed) focus on the tragedy of war and its appalling human cost, paying respectful and poignant tribute to its victims. In 2022, The Chronicle of Stolen Souls completed their current catalogue, again focusing on war. Between 2014 and 2019, Andy and Pete produced a track each year, each of which was written, recorded, produced and released within the week leading up to Christmas Day to honour the memory of the exact week in time a century previously.

F2G's music reflects the sobriety of their lyrical themes, melancholy, wistful, subdued, but richly textured and brimming with emotion, reminiscent of Lifesigns. Personal highlights were Names In The Stone, referring to the British Armed Forces Memorial, which has the names of those who have lost their lives while on duty since the end of World War Two engraved in Portland stone, and Enigma paying tribute to Alan Turing. As Andy and Pete have both played in a Pink Floyd tribute (an influence to which their music attests), it seems only appropriate that they included a cover of Time.

Hopefully the audience's rapturous response to a brilliant set will encourage them to continue to play live in future so that many more can avail themselves of the opportunity to discover their wonderful music.

Freedom To Glide On DPRP.net

Line-up: Lee Abrahams: guitar; Dean Baker: keyboards; Spencer Luckman: drums; Stuart Nicholson: vocals; Mark Spencer: bass.

In 2025, forty years will have passed since the mighty Galahad were formed and they keep on going from strength to strength. After a five-year break from live performance, I had the great privilege of witnessing their return to the stage at Summer's End in 2023, followed in rapid succession by their appearances earlier this year at Spirit of 66 and De Boerderij (aka the Temple of Prog) as part of their European tour.

Galahad

What a triumphant and uplifting conclusion to a day of wonderful music! Stuart Nicholson was as charismatic as ever, dancing lithely and gracefully while beating out the rhythm on his pair of blue- and red-ribbon festooned tambourines, as Mark Spencer descended into the audience much to everyone's delight. Galahad, Lee Abraham in particular, were the first to acknowledge the audience following proceedings via the live stream while actually playing, grinning into the cameras mounted at the side. I am certain this was appreciated.

I find Galahad's techno-prog signature coupled with Stuart's unique enunciation quite irresistible and cannot think of any other band who could pull it off with similar élan. Following the recent political developments in the UK, I could not help but feel elated by Empires Never Last, which created a jubilant party atmosphere.

However, the standout moment of the entire festival for me was their performance of The Long Goodbye. If you are not already familiar with this heartbreakingly beautiful and tragic song about dementia, I can only recommend that you give it a listen. Even though it is so recent, it has already earned its place in the pantheon of true prog classics, without exaggeration. It perfectly conveys the confusion and helplessness of the person with dementia, the relentless and distressing hollowing out of every facet of their being. Lee Abraham's guitar solo is pure genius. If it leaves you unmoved, you do not have a soul. And then, the other members of the band having quietly filed off-stage, Stuart stands in the spotlight alone to end with a whispered Goodbye. A genuine goosebumps moment followed by an instant of pin-drop silence before the ecstatic ovation. This is the very definition of festival magic and a band at the glorious height of its powers.

Galahad On DPRP.net

Click here to see a list of Galahad reviews on DPRP.net.

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Text by Béla Alabástrom.
All photos by Béla Alabástrom, used by kind permission.