I arrived at the Williams Center closer to the start of the day. These festivals are sometimes a test of endurance, as there isn’t really an existing societal function other than a different festival that would allow me to condition for such a weekend. But each time I felt worn out, I reminded myself that these things eventually wrap up and we all go back to our normal lives, and I need to continue to enjoy the moment! So, I drank some caffeinated beverages and buckled up for the rest of the day, ready for whatever amazing music I’d hear!
Phideaux
At this point I’ve seen Phideaux three times (should I say thrice? Is that proggier?) and I am such a fan of his intelligent, witty, sincere songwriting. He was joined by his band mate and friend of many years, Mark Sherkus, who provided keys as Phideaux played acoustic guitar and sang. Phideaux played several songs from his album Ghost Story, which was released 20 years ago, which was both a treat for the longtime fans and also the new fans he surely gains each time he performs. It was a great way to kick off day 3.
Gong
As a lifelong fan of progressive rock, I’ve had a bit of a chip on my shoulder about the term “progressive rock” as many of the followers of my page are aware. Since their formation in 1967, Gong has always embodied the progressive spirit in a way that “safer” bands could never dream of emulating. The current lineup, with the blessing of the legendary Daevid Allen, has absolutely inherited this blessed and crazy spirit, with an absolutely wild and frenetic energy and presence that zapped us all awake and held us up in a spacey dreamscape.
The current iteration is led by charismatic and prolific frontman Kavus Torabi (of Knifeworld/Cardiacs fame), who is an absolute pleasure to watch on stage. He acted as both the conduit for the electricity of the band, and the psychedelic spiritual guide for the set (our trip-sitter, if you will). Guitarist Fabio Golfetti delivered numerous mesmerizing solos, even whipping out slide for large portions of the set, which added to the surreal soundscape these guys provided. Ian East fried our brains with some terrific sax work, and the rhythm section (featuring David Sturt on bass and Cheb Nettles on drums) churned out some of the most fascinating beats and grooves of the weekend, like some wild rhythmic machine monster. And, seizing the opportunity of having the brilliant Mike Keneally in attendance, the band brought him on stage to contribute a solo at the end of a trance-like song that could have only been improved with fire pyrotechnics- it was a transcendent moment.
They’ve released a handful of albums over the last few years, and the latest, Unending Ascending, was just released last year. This was one of the acts I was most looking forward to seeing, and they more than delivered. Their music is just as exciting and bold as ever, and the new tunes are fantastic additions to the storied, nearly 60 year-long legacy of this band. May Gong Never Die!
Bainbridge/Minnear
I’ve consistently enjoyed the more acoustic openers for the more “electric acts”. Bainbridge/Minnear consists of Dave Bainbridge (who had played the day before with Circuline) and Sally Minnear, a multi-instrumentalist who has a beautiful, ethereal voice. I enjoyed the folky overtones, but especially enjoyed the duo’s use of loops. They were able to create some enchantingly dense cycles, both instrumental and vocal, that were quite pleasant.
Tu-Ner
I count myself lucky that I was able to catch Tu-Ner a little while ago at the Ludlow Garage in Cincinnati with one of my dear friends and band mates, so I wasn’t going in completely blind. The band features Markus Reuter on U8, Trey Gunn on Warr guitar, and Pat Mastelloto on drums. I’m willing to guess that nearly everyone in this crowd is familiar with their work, as they have circled around in the King Crimson orbit for decades (either as a member of an iteration of Crimson like Pat and Trey), or Crimson adjacent projects (Markus Reuter is in Stick Men with Pat and Tony Levin). Again, not like anyone in the band needs an introduction, but just in case.
This is exactly the sort of act that belongs at a progressive rock festival. While I have a special place in my heart for the many prog bands like Yes and Genesis that write singable melody lines and top 40 hits, my favorite part of the progressive label is the progressive spirit that is adventurous, boundless, unexpected, and daring. And Tu-Ner is all of those things. Some songs had me transfixed, some moments had me utterly confused, and some songs had my head bopping. Tu-Ner took us on a thrilling auditory journey- the mood was only exacerbated by the projections in the background of mysterious images and lights.
I can’t really skip the opportunity to point out that the previous night, we had watched David Cross and a very talented band perform prior Larks’ Tongues in Aspic tunes, and Tu-Ner performed “Larks’ Tongues In Aspic – Part IV” and “Level Five”. It’s a fascinating reflection on King Crimson’s diversity and wide ranging discography that, despite the fact that both of these groups are Crimson-adjacent, the character of the music and overall atmosphere of each of the performances felt quite different. This is probably magnified for the (likely) minority of the audience that may be less familiar with King Crimson’s varied output. In a week, I’ll see BEAT in Cincinnati, and so it’ll be fun to reflect further!
Michael and Seren Sadler
Michael and Seren have an obvious special connection to the ProgStock Festival. Seren first performed with his father in 2018, and we were able to get a lovely photograph of that performance for our daily review. To start off their brief set, they showed a video of Michael and Seren playing at that prior festival and then they both took the stage, a few years older. Michael explained that they had chosen two songs to perform. The first tune that they played was a short interlude from a Saga tune called “Images (Chapter 1)” that Michael had heard Seren taking on in his bedroom and inquired about. It was short and sweet and really well executed.
The second song might be one of my favorite moments of the weekend for me- Seren announced that he’d be playing a Periphery song, and then called out Matt Dorsey and Jimmy Keegan to perform “Remain Indoors” from Periphery III with him. It’s important to note that, while Periphery are very progressive, they might not be the type of band one might hear at this particular festival (never say never!) as most of the bands tend towards the progressive rock label as opposed to progressive metal. Michael Sadler further proved his badassery by taking on this incredibly challenging and heavy tune, and Seren provided the first and only harsh vocals that we’d likely hear at ProgStock. Personally, I’m really hoping the Periphery guys see a video of this moment (someone share their management’s contact info with me!). It was absolutely delightful to see everyone involved take that tune on with such gusto. Seren, you’ve got a bright future and a really freaking cool dad.
Lifesigns
Lifesigns closed out the festival with some resplendent and pensive neo-prog, played by a group of world class musicians. Some ProgStockers had seen Lifesigns on Cruise to the Edge in years past, but this was my first time catching them in-person. The band is the brainchild of John Young, and has developed a devoted following inside and outside of the prog community, playing numerous festivals all over the world. Following their US debut at ProgStock, Lifesigns will tour the United States and play a one week mini-tour. I highly encourage anyone to check out their shows, not just for the amazing music of Lifesigns, but for the openers. Mike Keneally (both as a solo act and as a trio with Gregg Bendian and Teddy Kumpel) and Matt Dorsey will be providing support during this tour!
Jon Poole (ex Cardiacs) handled bass and vocals, and his steady playing and powerful voice added to the overall gorgeous, Floydian atmosphere of the evening. As a brief aside, Poole is an incredible guitarist and songwriter, who contributed to some of my favorite Cardiacs moments on their legendary record Sing to God, and recorded and engineered one of my favorite guitar moments in all of recorded music- the guitar solo in “Fiery Gun Hand” by Cardiacs. Dave Bainbridge (who was competing with Mike Keneally to see how many acts he could play with throughout the weekend) proved that he is a master of expression on guitar. Every time he played a solo throughout the night, I’d find myself smiling and admiring his skillfulness and tone and distinct voice. Chris Mack is playing drums for this current tour, and he provided the steady pulse and power that made way for the creation of the lush atmosphere. It was a beautiful end to the festival.
Following Lifesigns’ set, Tom Palmieri and Ann Rinaldi joined the stage, along with a lovely crew of ProgStock family members, and, well, GOT MARRIED! The wedding was officiated by Deacon Pat Mastelloto (who pulled off the vestments quite nicely) and was witnessed by Michael and Gwen Sadler. David and Donna Belfield were ring bearers, and the lovely Trisha Van Cleef was the flower girl (read more about Trisha here!).
I’ve never been to a festival that had a wedding in the schedule, but I think it shows how special the ProgStock event is, and how close-knit the “ProgStock Family” actually is. Many of the participants in this years’ event had known Tom and Ann in some capacity for many, many years before they tied the knot, and many of those same individuals, brought together by the strong bond of music and friendship, were working for the festival as volunteers or performing in one of the bands. After some lovely vows and exchanges and a tender kiss, Melanie Mau, Martin Schnella, and Mathias Ruck performed their sweet song “Wholeheartedly”. However, as it was a prog event, they closed out the ceremony with a rousing acoustic rendition of “Song for America” by Kansas. We all ate cake and hugged and it was all absolutely wonderful. Congrats, Ann and Tom, and we at Proglodytes wish you many, many years of happiness together as Mr. and Mrs. ProgStock.
That wraps up the Daily Review- tomorrow I will share a Post-Fest Reflections article that sums up my overall feelings of the event, so stay tuned!
Proglodytes 