Location: Ljubljana / Gala Hala (Metelkova) / Slovenia
Date: 06.06.2013
The progressive rock scene is in full bloom. So full that it’s seriously closing in on its golden years, the seventies of the last century; if nothing else, it’s definitely the strongest it’s been since the end of the prog era, when the ’80s rolled in. The monopoly of exclusively Germanic bands has been split between the Scandinavians and the Eastern European countries, with the Poles in particular keeping the scene alive; and Poland isn’t just a fertile breeding ground for fantastic bands, it’s also, alongside the Scandinavian countries and maybe Italy, one of the strongest backers and champions of progressive rock. And this time we Slovenian fans of the scene were in for a real treat, because none other than Poland’s heralds of prog paid us a visit – Riverside.
Of course we knew Riverside weren’t coming empty-handed – this very year they released their fantastic album Shrine Of New Generation Slaves, which shows them as exceptionally atmospheric, sensual and somewhat mellower musicians, trading the typical prog technical emphasis for gorgeous soundscapes, a melancholic mood and an emotional touch. Aleš Podbrežnik wrote the following about the album: “This is an album that will flat-out astonish you with its flawlessly original way of delivering a musical message.“
Of course, the album wasn’t the (only) reason for the excitement among Slovenian fans of the band. It was just the icing on the cake, the cherry on top of the announcement that Riverside were coming to Ljubljana’s Gala Hala. We’d have been thrilled either way, but with one of this year’s (best) albums in tow, the hype was that much bigger. Or so I thought.
Riverside are probably among the most professional musicians I’ve ever seen, and yet even they couldn’t hide their disappointment at the turnout, which was only about 100 people (and half of those were foreigners). Frontman Mariusz Duda covered up the disappointment a few times with jokes, a bit awkwardly, but we all knew the band had expected more. And rightly so. Because what Riverside pulled off this time (and I have no doubt they manage it every time) is something very few bands can do.
Right from the start, Duda refused to let his disappointment ruin the evening – what’s more, he loosened up the whole band and the crowd in a very special way, creating a great atmosphere from the get-go. It only built from there, thanks to the band’s sheer brilliance, a truly flawless show, wild live energy… there’s no end to the superlatives. As befits a proper album tour, Riverside played practically the whole new album, and stretched most of the songs out in true prog fashion with virtuoso improvisations. With every member of the band a master of their craft, it was hard to follow along and pick a standout – Duda, with his ever-pleasant vocals that often recall Steven Wilson, had no problem juggling falsetto singing and complex bass rhythms, and at times his charisma even brought to mind Rush’s Geddy Lee; guitarist Piotr Grudziński, with his naturally effortless playing, reminisced about David Gilmour’s best days, and most of the improvisations were delivered in that just-right bluesy space rock feel; Michal Łapaj darted effortlessly between no fewer than five different keyboards, analog and digital, conjuring up cocktails of unusual sonic backdrops and solos; and Piotr Kozieradzki managed to hold the rhythm through every moment of advanced improvisation, always anticipating his bandmates’ next moves and tying it all together into a coherent, thundering whole. There was truly no average among them. What’s more – there wasn’t a single mistake. Not one.
Of course, the show wasn’t just calm and sensually atmospheric like the band’s latest album. They also dug up a bunch of songs from across their whole career, especially the ones that stand in contrast to the new stuff – the heavier, darker, mightier ones, the ones where Duda turns into a growling beast, and the more experimental tracks where everything is so intriguingly intertwined, yet unfolds too fast for the average listener to untangle all the complex technical knots in Riverside’s music. What was especially incredible was how easily the band moves through their entire creative journey, how they have every last bit of every song under control, and how, in an improvisational fever, they turn even the most polished songs to their advantage. Here I’d again like to point to Duda, and to how he made every switch from the pleasant, calm, “Wilson-esque” vocals to metal growling completely nonchalantly and without any visible effort.
But even perfection wasn’t enough for some people in the crowd as the night went on. Especially during the encore, there was a lot of loud chatter from the back, along with the usual beer-fueled partying – though that, on the other hand, got a heartfelt response from the real fans and listeners, who called them out forcefully more than once.
Perfection is hard to describe, because it’s easiest to write about flaws and the humanity that comes with them. But that night there were no flaws. There were just four otherworldly musicians who, with a thoroughly genuine human touch, wrung out of the crowd over almost two hours everything that only music can, and in doing so surely conjured up an unforgettable evening for everyone, one we’ll be dreaming about for a long, long time.
author: Tine Kolenik
photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Setlist:
Night Session – Part Two
Night Session – Part One
1. New Generation Slave
2. The Depth of Self-Delusion
3. Feel Like Falling
4. Driven to Destruction
5. Living in the Past
6. 02 Panic Room (Epilogue)
7. We Got Used to Us
8. Egoist Hedonist
9. 02 Panic Room
10. Escalator Shrine
—encore I.—
11. Left Out
—encore II.—
12. Conceiving You
13. Celebrity Touch
