Troubadour Club, West Hollywood, CA.

1st August, 2001

Moby Disc, Sherman Oaks, CA

16th September, 2002

Mean Fiddler, London

22nd October 2003

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Venue: Troubadour Club, West Hollywood.      Date: August 1st 2001.

So once again there we were at the 'legendary' Troubadour club, right on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills.  I've become a huge fan of Spock's Beard and have now sunk to being the first person in line for the gig!!  This did, however, enable me a few words with Neal Morse outside the club after he had finished the soundcheck. They had gone through a rousing version of 'The Healing Colors of Sound' which could be heard clearly outside the doors!!

Anyway, about 7:30 we got to our seats on the balcony of the small club. It only has enough seats for, maybe, 25 people maximum, so there's always a rush for them ... we lucked out!!

Up first was local band 'Under the Sun'. I had heard various accounts of them, but generally was led to believe not to expect too much. This was probably good because I was pleasantly surprised how good they were!!  They didn't play too many songs; maybe about 4 or 5, since they were all fairly long, but they all kicked butt! They could be best described as a mixture between Rush and Kansas, with a little of Dream Theater thrown in. They played a lengthy new song which I really enjoyed, great vocals, drums and guitar playing seemed to be the band's forte.

After about 40 minutes or so, 'Under the Sun' finished and we waited about half an hour for the main event.   Spock's Beard hit the stage to the strains of classical music then an intro into 'Beware of Darkness'. As always the crowd went nuts and the energy level was high with various fans yelling 'Ryo!!' as the manic keyboard maestro energized the audience. The sound seemed to be much better than the gig last year ... much clearer and not so 'bass heavy', a refreshing improvement.

Now my memory of the exact order and all the songs played is not perfect so you'll have to excuse me here! They played a few shorter songs following the opener, I believe an incredibly well executed 'Thoughts II' and equally loony 'Gibberish', before launching into one of the gig's highlights; 'At the End of the Day'.  I do believe this is my fave of all their songs and as with songs like 'The Light' and 'Waste Away' they are becoming so familiar with playing it that its speed and intensity level is becoming magical.

Nick's vocals intertwined with Neal's made this song truly amazing to hear live ... humm, must get that live CD!! Actually, talking of the live CD, ('There and Here') the tour was, ostensibly to promote this CD, so the gig actually consisted of virtually every song from the 2CD set.  That means we got a rousing version of the wonderful 'Harms Way'.  This is a song I've always felt was underestimated ... as with that whole CD, actually.  So it was great to hear it so well executed, complete with a real Mellotron and inspired piano playing from Ryo and Neal.

The Ryo solo tonight was, without a shadow of doubt, the best I have ever seen ... by FAR. He started out by having his young son play the drums on 'Peter Gunn', then he, Nick and Dave went on the familiar 'fusion oddessey' based (loosely) around the 'Peter Gunn' theme. This time it included Al playing a fiery duet with Ryo on his strap-on keyboard with Neal joining in on drums - it blew the lid off anything I've ever seen them do in the 'improv' area.  They are such talented musicians and given that free rein to 'go off' it can be quite astounding how well they can loosen up and really 'groove' ... stupendous stuff!!

The band quieted down to play 'The Distance to the Sun' tonight too, which also seems to have new life. The start seemed very much more 'acoustic' than before, giving the closing sections more of a 'triumphant' feeling. It felt like an epic, even though it probably only scratched five minutes. Once again it was the backing vocals and harmonies on this song that really struck a chord with me. Oddly enough, Ryo also sang back up tonight, which was the first time I'd seen him join in with the other four guys.

The last song in the set was 'The Great Nothing' - Neal announced this as probably the last time it would be played in its entirety since the tour was over; the next CD will have its own 'epics' and it will be hard to play them all!!  As with 'At the End of the Day' this was MUCH better than the previous version I had seen last summer. Truly lifting itself above the level of 'bits and pieces stuck together' and into the realms of great prog epics, it just simply works better live ... a perfect end to the set.

The encores were an interesting mix tonight too!!  They kicked off with 'The Doorway' which included the - now infamous - acoustic guitar duet between Neal and Al which nowadays also includes a snippet of Yes' 'Mood for a Day'.  The song barely had time to get going again before we were in the song 'The Light' and the 'One Man' section - that was frenetically played and then dissolved into 'June' which, as always, got the whole crowd on their feet and singing .. wow my voice was shot by then!! God knows how Mr Morse does it!

Once again the band was coaxed back and succeeded in shocking the audience with Nick coming out on the guitar and Neal going behind the drum kit and launching into 'Space Truckin', the intense Deep purple song, and what a 'sing along' classic it is too! Totally insane organ playing from Ryo and screeching vocals from Nick (with Ryo doing the high parts!) made this a really enjoyable cover song, what a good idea!!

Without much gap they finally conclude the night with the usual 'Waste Away' and get the well earned standing ovation they absolutely deserve.

Spock's Beard are one of the few bands that continually get better and better. Tonight was no exception.  I do know that many prog critics (or worthless losers - since ALL prog needs to be supported) find their music 'samey'. This may well be true, but if their live shows are any evidence the band continues to grow in leaps and bounds and are by far the most exciting band to see in prog today.  I've seen them around ten times and this was the best gig yet - as was each of those proceeding this one - that says something surely?  Check them out if they come your way soon!

Fred Hunter

Venue: Moby Disc, Sherman Oaks, CA     Date: 16th September, 2002

Here we are again, another new Spock's Beard CD, so we get a release gig...

This time it's in the form of an acoustic gig outside the Moby disc CD store on Ventura Blvd. It was definitely an odd set up (Neal actually referred to this before they even played a note!), with the band playing in an area to the right of the entrance of the store, kind of underneath a staircase that goes to the stores above.  Ventura Blvd. Is a VERY busy street, it's the main thoroughfare of the Valley area of LA; very crowded, horns beeping and loads of people just going in and out of the Starbucks coffee store adjacent!

With all this going on around though, the band still put on a very decent hour of music.  Neal, Al, Dave and Nick are lined up with vocal microphones at the front, and with Ryo at the back with a single synth on top of a mellotron, they kicked things off with 'Stranger in a Strange Land' from the new CD.  I was impressed with the sound (even though I was actually above them on the aforementioned staircase); it was very clear, the acoustic guitars and Dave's "twangy" bass coming through crystal clear.  The song actually worked well in this form, the vocal harmonies being especially strong... Aren't they always?

Neal then said hi, took a few suggestions from the crowd but decided to stick with the set they had rehearsed, since the other guys started to look worried!

They carried on with 'Thoughts II' from the 'V' album. When he announced they were going to play it I though, jeez.. How? Surprisingly well was the answer!  The bass and drums (Nick had a very scaled down kit, that was mostly percussion) are the core of this song and with those harmonies on top, that's all it needs - somehow it still found a lot of its normal energy. They did, however, make a bit of an error at the end (I couldn't hear it!!) forcing them to replay the last 20-30 seconds of the song to make themselves satisfied!

Next Neal and Nick swapped places, with Nick taking over vocals for the new track 'Looking For Answers' and Neal going behind the drum kit to do some percussion. It immediately made me wonder why Nick has never done lead vocals on anything before this. His voice is very good and the song is extremely catchy.  Like many of the songs on this new effort actually!

They swapped back and we got a very unusual version of 'The Good Don't Last'. It was the most different of all the arrangements for this setting.  Starting off with the bass part and leading into a Ryo piano riff that eventually, after the band jammed around it for a bit, lead to the main acoustic/vocal section of the song. The middle was done in a similar fashion, the song ended before the 'Radiant' section and they went straight into 'Open Wide the Floodgates'. This is a great song and worked effortlessly in the new environment, can't wait to see that one on stage with the whole show.  Once again the vocal parts really did the trick for this number.

Neal then introduced 'Wind at My Back' as "the big outro on the new CD". He slipped on the first line of the song and started it again, saying "this is the first time we've played this stuff live, so we need cheat sheets!" Either way the song was good, but obviously less nutty than the version that ends 'Snow'. Still it gained some of that emotional momentum that makes it such a strong ending.

The band then started the (almost obligatory) 'June'.  Nothing to say here really, the crowd sung along and it was just like being at any other Spock's gig, apart from the wives and children in front of the band and the Morse parents commenting after a couple of songs!

Neal then tried to say goodnight but the audience would have none of it! After a couple of minutes of band banter they played (experimented, as Neal said) with 'Open Wide the Floodgates 2'/ 'Solitary Soul'.  Didn't sound too much like they were experimenting to me! Al's guitar solo linking the songs was very poignant here.  The band then said their goodbyes and announced that they would be doing autographs etc. after the gig.

Once again they prove they are a fantastic bunch of musicians. Playing through a car alarm on the other side of the street was alone highly impressive!  Now if we can just get them into a decent sized venue and see the new CD played the way it was intended! Loud, I think...

Fred Hunter

Venue: Mean Fiddler, London                      Date: 22nd October, 2003

Set list: A Guy Named Sid/Thoughts/Shining Star/The Bottom Line/Snow Medley - 2nd Overture; I'm the Guy; Reflection; Carie; Freak Boy; Devil's Got My Throat revisited; Snow's Night Out; Ladies and Gentlemen.Ryo Okumoto (Ryo's solo); Drum duet; Devil's got My Throat reprise.

Encore - The Doorway/ Go The Way You Go (inc bass solo).

Well, here we are. The new Beard, huh? So how did they perform?

We'll get to that later.

First things first. I arrived just as the Californian Guitar Trio had started, and the place was pretty full already. CGT came across as very accomplished musicians, but a little inappropriate for this type of gig - just a bit too laid back for my taste. But they did liven up a little when they played 'Bohemian Rhapsody' (with just 3 acoustic guitars) and got the whole place singing along. It was also a nice touch for Nick D'Virgilio and Ted Leonard of Enchant to accompany them on the end vocal section.  After that, a rousing version of Dick Dale's 'Misrilou' brought their set to a satisfying conclusion.

Next up, Enchant.  Never been bowled over by their recorded output, but they certainly put on a good show here.  They are incredibly tight, Ted Leonard has a superb voice, and guitarist Doug Ott played his heart out - Alan Morse was going to have to be damn good to compete with this.

It seemed to take an age before Spocks Beard took to the stage (think it was
around 9.30), and I knew then that we were unlikely to get the full set. In actuality I felt that worked to their advantage, because what we got was a fairly fast paced, tight set.  No time for too many long-winded solos, thankfully.

'A Guy Named Sid', for a long track, actually worked very well as an opener and the band seem to have developed a slightly more aggressive edge to their sound. I was very pleased that I could hear Alan Morse's guitar work very clearly - at previous gigs he always seemed to be a little buried too deep in the mix for my liking. He was also very animated, charging all over the stage like a hyperactive child, and frequently interacting with the crowd at the front.  The climax to the song was magnificent, with Alan wrenching some incredible noises out of his guitar and both Nick and newcomer Jimmy Keegan trading some very Chester Thompson/Phil Collins style drum fills.

To me, 'Thoughts' was a very ambitious track for them to attempt without Neal, but damn, did they do it, or did they do it? Thankfully, Jimmy Keegan is a fine singer in addition to an incredible drummer, and seems able to handle the high notes with ease.  Even Ryo took turns on vocals, and though he cannot really sing, he does at least try.  It actually comes across as very endearing, and also quite funny because of his pronunciation - but he obviously knows this and just has fun with it.

At the beginning of 'Shining Star', Alan did a wonderfully restrained and very melodic solo, which was a nice contrast to his usual style, and just goes to show what a wonderfully versatile guitarist he is. I really like this song, and they certainly did it justice live.

'Bottom Line' is one of the songs from the new album that I have not been able to get to grips with yet. It's good, but somehow just does not gel for me. I enjoyed it better live, but I still have reservations. Ryo appears to be using some pre-programmed sounds on this one, but with him being the sole keyboard player I suppose this was to be expected - the guy's good, but he's only got one pair of hands.

And then it was on to the epic 'Snow' medley.  A lot of people have commented on the slightly strange decision to play tracks from the second CD, when the first is generally regarded to be the strongest - a sentiment I would generally agree with.  But somehow this works, with slight reservations. Opener '2nd Overture' seemed more like the old Beard, a wonderfully complex but enjoyable instrumental piece.  A big thick slice of instrumental prog. Lovely.

 'I'm The Guy' was one of the best songs of the night - intensely powerful, somewhat sinister and ever so slightly sleazy.

'Reflections' came across as just a short bridge between the main songs, not really sure why they bothered playing it.  But it does lead into 'Carie', one of my faves off 'Snow'. This one really highlights Nick's wonderful voice, and he did not disappoint.  Absolute perfection, and some lovely piano work from Ryo to boot.

'Freak Boy' just did not work for me - Alan just did not seem to get the opening guitar lick to sound right, so it started badly and meandered along, with some very unappealing, shouty vocals from Nick.

'Devil's Got My Throat revisited' was real head banging stuff, with Alan tearing all over the place like a man possessed, and still managing to pull off a great solo.

Somewhere around this point, Jimmy Keegan decided to go crowd surfing. His faith in the audience being willing to support him and carry him above their heads only went so far, though.  They seemed happy to take him to the back of the hall - but not back again. So the poor chap was unceremoniously dumped somewhere at the back and had to fight his way to the stage again through the crowd!

Ryo's solo piece was thankfully shorter and more restrained than usual.  I have been somewhat critical of his 10 minute plus solo spots in the past, so I for one was somewhat relieved. This segued into a very energetic drum duel between Nick and Jimmy.  More entertaining than your average drum solo,because they appeared to be having great fun trying to outdo each other. Went on a little long, but otherwise very enjoyable.

After a little break, the guys came back for an encore, which was a medley of 'The Doorway' and 'Go The Way You Go', with a chance for Dave Meros to shine with a short, somewhat funky bass solo.  This being the last night of the tour, Enchant and CGT joined them onstage for the climax to 'Go.', so there was a real party atmosphere. Nick also insisted on the crew coming on stage at the end, so it looked pretty crowded up there.

Generally, I enjoyed this much more than I expected. Sure, it was a little rough around the edges occasionally, but those of you who have seen the Beard live will know that above all they like to have fun, and don't take themselves too seriously.  Jimmy Keegan was definitely man of the match, a diminutive but very powerful drummer, extremely energetic and obviously really excited to be on stage with the band. Alan Morse was also a revelation, always at the front of the stage and seemingly much more confident than at previous gigs. And Nick D'Virgilio does a more than competent job as lead singer, and is a very confident frontman.

It remains to be seen what the band do next. Though 'Feel Euphoria' was not as good as their previous efforts, I still think they are capable of great things. But on the strength of tonight's concert and general reaction to the tour, they seem to have won the fans over, and "exorcised" the ghost of Neal Morse. One wag shouted "Where's Neal?"; but the fact that it was greeted with groans from most of the crowd indicates that people appear to have accepted the new style Beard for what they are.

And they still are a damn fine band.

John Morley  23/10/03

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