Location: Ljubljana / Orto bar / Slovenia
Date: Thursday, November 16, 2017
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 a good while to prove what they could do and how far they could go, while their fanbase grew slowly. Times have finally changed, and it shows in what people want to see. You could tell before Intervals, Polyphia and Nick Johnston even started, when a surprisingly big crowd piled in. It was a different crowd than at metal shows, though, which, if anything, can only be a good thing.
First on stage was Nick Johnston, a guitarist many people didn’t know and who had been overlooked as a result. Johnston, who comes from “an exotic island in 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 in his short set Johnston showed off his own unique style. The associations came thick and fast: in the slower parts he was reminiscent of Satriani, while the faster passages and unusual techniques made it seem like Guthrie Govan is a role model for him too. What didn’t quite convince was the rhythm section, which wasn’t varied enough. But the audience’s eyes were glued to Johnston’s tricks, and he never ran out of them. In the measly half hour he had, Johnston showed off outstanding, one-of-a-kind guitar playing. He never came across as forced, either, and he knew how to build atmosphere too, which is one more proof that Johnston isn’t just another “shredder” who’s wandered onto the scene.
Next up was Polyphia, a young American band from Texas. They arrived at the peak of the djent boom and were somehow pigeonholed into that subgenre. But live, the picture was completely different. Above all, it was very surprising how wide a range the band has. The four-piece highlighted elements of modern instrumental bands, jazz fusion, and post metal with a dash of electronics, which added even more color to a rich sonic picture where the razor-precise guitars stood out most of all. The two guitarists were without a doubt the brightest spot, with virtuoso soloing running through the whole set. The LePage/Henson guitar duo showed incredible synchronization. The rhythm section didn’t slack either, and the drummer was excellent, keeping everything rock solid with their power and rhythmic chops the whole way through. With their playing, Polyphia proved they have the potential to become something bigger, as long as they stick to this path, of course.
That left the Canadians Intervals, around whom there was some debate about whether the band could even bring anything new to the table after the virtuosity 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 a vocalist came in with the album “A Voice Within” and Intervals gained a lot of recognition, but after that Aaron decided to disband the group and come back with more melodic music, without the same emphasis on low tones as before. Marshall has already made two albums in this style, with the second one coming out in December.
So Marshall and his crew played songs from “The Shape of Colour,” the album that defined his new style, and added a new track or two from the upcoming album “The Way Forward” to confirm it. Marshall was front and center with his virtuoso playing and melodies, of course, but there’s nothing to complain about with the rest of the guys either. The rhythm section was definitely lively, the bassist filled out the sound nicely with their lines, the drummer held everything up with power and precision, and the additional guitarist kept the rhythm tight too. In the second half came a real surprise, or a movie-style “twist.” The guitarists swapped guitars, and seven-string guitars came out. Before their first album, Intervals recorded two djent-flavored EPs, after all. Even though Marshall’s guitar was glowing like a Christmas tree, it sounded like the band had switched on a subwoofer from the first bars. It thundered, just as it should for djent. Intervals had already won the crowd over with their performance, but this time the audience got the cherry on top. After a few earth-shattering songs, it was time for the six-string guitars again, and Marshall and his crew took the show to the end of their set with a second surprise. He called the guitarists of Polyphia 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 end routinely, and you could feel a real friendly vibe between the bands. The audience got a truly special concert experience.
The Intervals, Polyphia and Nick Johnston show at Orto bar wasn’t just a success. It was phenomenal. The fact that bands without vocals at the forefront and without simple music can draw enough of a crowd to more than comfortably fill Orto bar’s big hall is a huge achievement in itself. As for the playing and the atmosphere, there’s no point harping on it any further. Above all, time will tell whether a new trend that puts technical and progressive bands front and center has started in Slovenia too.
Author: Primož Novak
Photos: Aleš Podbrežnik
