Author: Primož Novak
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
Location: Ljubljana / Orto bar / Slovenia
Concert date: 16.11.2017
Attendance: 200
Ticket price: 16€/20€
Years ago, it was hard to imagine that modern progressive bands could fill even a smaller concert hall. Acts like Animals As Leaders, Scale The Summit and Intervals needed quite a while to prove their chops and potential, while the fanbase slowly grew. Times have finally changed, and it shows in what people want to see. You could tell even before the Intervals, Polyphia and Nick Johnston show kicked off, when a surprisingly big crowd started piling in. It was a different crowd than at your average metal gig, but that can only be counted as a plus.
First on stage was Nick Johnston, a guitarist many people don’t know and who has, as a result, flown under the radar. Johnston, who comes from the exotic island of Canada, as he put it himself, silenced all doubts with his playing within a couple of minutes. He’s not exactly a modern guitarist in the Animals As Leaders mold, but Johnston showed his uniqueness in his short set. The associations kept coming: in the slow parts he recalled Satriani, while the faster passages and unusual techniques made it seem like Guthrie Govan is an idol of his too. What didn’t convince was the rhythm section, which wasn’t dynamic enough. But the crowd’s eyes were glued to Johnston’s antics, and there was no shortage of them. In the meager half hour he had, Johnston showed off exceptional, one-of-a-kind guitar playing. He also never came across as forced, and he knew how to build atmosphere too, which is yet more proof that Johnston isn’t just another “shredder” who has wandered onto the scene.
Next up were Polyphia, a young American band from Texas. They arrived at the peak of the djent boom and were somehow shoved into that subgenre. But live, the picture was completely different. What was especially surprising was the wide spectrum the band covers. The four-piece leaned on elements of modern instrumental bands, jazz fusion and post metal with touches of electronics, which added even more color to a rich soundscape where the razor-precise guitars stood out above all. The two guitarists were undoubtedly the brightest spot, with virtuoso soloing running through the entire set. The LePage/Henson guitar duo showed unbelievable synchronization. The rhythm section didn’t slack off either, and the drummer did a great job, using his power and rhythmic know-how to keep the whole thing rock-solid the entire time. Polyphia proved with their playing that they have the potential to become something bigger, as long as they stick to this direction, of course.
That left Canada’s Intervals, around whom there was some debate about whether the band could even bring anything to the table given the virtuoso skills of Polyphia and Nick Johnston. Intervals are led by guitarist Aaron Marshall, and on each album he’s joined by different musicians who help him record his ideas. In its short existence, Marshall’s project has gone through some serious changes. It started out as an instrumental djent band, then with the album “A Voice Within” a vocalist came on board and Intervals gained a lot of recognition, but after that Aaron decided to disband the group and come back with more melodic-flavored music, without the same emphasis on low end as before. Marshall has already made two albums in this style, with the second one coming out in December.
Marshall and his crew presented songs from the album “The Shape of Colour,” which defined his new style, and he further confirmed it with a few new tracks from the upcoming album “The Way Forward.” Marshall was of course front and center with his virtuoso playing and melodies, but there was nothing to complain about with the rest of the players either. The rhythm section was undoubtedly dynamic, the bassist filled out the sound nicely with his lines, the drummer held the whole thing up with power and precision, and the additional guitarist locked down the rhythm just as well. In the second half came a real surprise, a cinematic “twist,” if you will. The guitarists swapped guitars, and seven-string guitars were now in play. Before their first album, Intervals had recorded two djent-flavored EPs. Even though Marshall’s guitar was lit up like a Christmas tree, the first few bars felt like the band had switched on a subwoofer. It thundered, as djent should. Intervals had already won the crowd over with their performance earlier, but now the audience got the cherry on top. After a couple of crushing tracks, it was time for the six-string guitars again, and Marshall and his crew steered the show to the end of their set and a second surprise. He called Polyphia’s guitarists and Nick Johnston up on stage for a short “jam,” where each guitarist got to shine with their soloing. In short, the show didn’t wrap up on autopilot, and you could feel a real friendly vibe among the bands. The crowd got a truly special concert experience.
Intervals, Polyphia and Nick Johnston at Orto bar weren’t just a success. They were phenomenal. The fact alone that bands without vocals up front or simple music can draw enough of a crowd to more than solidly fill the big hall at Orto bar is a big achievement. As for the playing and the vibe, there’s no point in belaboring it. Above all, time will tell whether a new trend that puts technical and progressive bands in the spotlight has started in Slovenia too.
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