On Sunday 4th October we journeyed to Reading to relish the easy-Sunday-afternoon delights of IMAGINARIUM—a one-day “mini prog rock festival” organised by Elaine Samuels of KINDRED SPIRIT.
The wonderful afternoon began with a rare opportunity to see CAROLA BAER perform her instinctual songs from the RUBY DAWN days, stripped down and presented as if they were written right in front of the audience. “Juliet” (from the album Blood on Water) was hauntingly confidential, while the newer piece “Boys of the Sun” was as chilly as a gravestone warmed by winter sun. Carola’s honeyed voice soared into autumn heaven, like a late butterfly. Her performance at the Face Bar had many eagle-high moments and even more wrenching pangs that edged toward—though never quite met—the character of self-forgiveness that she constantly promises herself. Highly charged indeed!
DANDELION CHARM are Newhaven-based artists John Fowler (guitar and vocals) and Clare Fowler (vocals) (see main photo), who write about fear, self-doubt, and other complex emotional landscapes. Clare explained that ‘Shame’ is “I am bad” whereas ‘Guilt’ is “I did something bad…” (Brené Brown), and the duo’s “Shame About You” (written about shame being the root cause of violence) possessed a bell-like structure, with winding vocal layers that sat like willow patterns on fine porcelain. Hope, lost happiness, and forgiveness remain perpetual themes across the beautifully developed laminates of sound that this enormously talented pair brought to the Reading stage. Exquisite!
London-based band THE WOOD DEMONS insisted they were “not Motörhead from 1976” as they tuned their instruments. The line-up featured Simon Carbery (vocals and guitar), Rick Startin (keys and guitar), Naomi Belshaw (violin and whiskey), John Silver (bass guitar), and Ed Kontargyris (drums).
The Middle-Eastern-flavoured “Angels Of Peckham Rye” featured a thigh-rustling bass line, dream-cloud violin, and silver-bright keyboard shapes. This was a true treat for fans of early Moody Blues. The band also delivered a super-length version of “Arithmomania” (the opening track from the Angels Of Peckham Rye album), unfolding a pattern of rhythms in clockwise motion, ivory waterleaf vocals, and strain-at-the-leash violin excitations and keyboard orbitals.
We have been fans of headline act KINDRED SPIRIT for a long while (certainly since the days of Annie Parker, Gavin Jones, Alan Barwise, and Les Binks) and we’ve enjoyed their polished, meticulously presented songs since before their happy (and well-deserved) recognition on the U.K. prog circuit. We have previously described their metamorphic songs as “ingenious and advanced” and Elaine’s voice as “benevolent and crystalline.” The line-up at the IMAGINARIUM featured the festival organiser and M.C. Elaine Samuels on guitar and lead vocals, supported by Paul Austin (drums), Keith Buckman (bass), Piers Hogg (guitar), and Stevie Mitchell (sax, flute, cello, and vocals).
“The Hunger” (from the band’s Metamorphosis album) was a swinging sojourn with a stunning flute-versus-guitar duel midway, driven by the mounting tension built by a superbright supertight rhythm section. “Morrigan” (from their In The Doghouse album) had a woozy, eerie launch before smooth semi-whispers from Elaine blossomed forth with the sovereignty and tartness of fresh plum blossom.
Three new songs from a forthcoming album “about the limitless extent of human consciousness” (will the machines ever become self-aware?) included “The Race,” which brought the audience grainy strums of acoustic guitar, rat-tail rhythms, interlocking peaks of electric guitar, and brandy-honey sax. This new album promises to be a splendid release!
Creative artists are often tortured, lonely souls (perhaps none more so than prog-rock and prog-folk musicians), yet they thrive when people truly care for their vision and connect with their creative output. That is why events like the IMAGINARIUM Festival at Facebar Reading are so vital. This occasion allowed these sensitive artists to drink at the well of deliverance and enjoy the celebration they so richly deserve. All credit to Elaine and her team.
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/carola.baer
https://www.facebook.com/dandelioncharmmusic
https://www.facebook.com/TheWoodDemons
https://www.elainesamuels.co.uk/home.htm
Words and images: © Neil Mach
