Riverside
Lion Shepherd & The SixxiS

October 18, 2015 - 013, Tilburg (NL)


Celebrating the new album Love, Fear And The Time Machine (2015, see review) Polish progressive rockers Riverside chooses to intensively tour Europe. As support acts landsmen Lion Shepherd as well as US band The Sixxis joined them on their travels. For me the pleasure to see all three bands in 013. Tilburg's largest venue 013 was under construction for quite some time, but should be ready in time to host the evening. For me it was the first time I was visiting the renewed 013; ready for concerts, but still heavily under construction, especially backstage where improvisation was the keyword. The venue's floor itself has been enlarged to hold more people, a slight disadvantage for people who were used to watch from the steps and still had a great view, now they are standing quite far back. Before the show I heard some comments that during the previous shows one of the bands was so loud, the over all sound was one big blur, a problem that absolutely was not the question in 013, the sound of all three bands was good, as far I can judge from the position I was located; close to the stage.
 

Lion Shepherd

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Kamil Haidar
First band of the evening was Polish band Lion Shepherd; a band that plays progressive rock, tending towards metal, but filled with influences from the middle east. Musically influenced by Orphaned Land and Myrath. Opener Fly On is the perfect example to enjoy these influences. Vocally Lion Shepherd is something else, Kamil Haidar has proven himself as a stunning vocalist with a very pleasant and relaxed style; Lights Out totally blew me away with vocals that took me to Anathema and Antimatter's music. Over all this band convinced me with their music and the combination of the styles does work, on the stage as well as on the album. So with a positive mind and a happy heart the wait for the second band began.
 

The SixxiS

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Vladdy Iskhakov
The Sixxis' music was already familiar to me, I was so lucky to do the review of the band's debut album Hollow Shrine (2014, see review), therefore I was anxious how the band would perform live. Stylistic, the band fuses progressive music with straight forward rock and even hunches of southern rock. This said, I have to mention, guitarist Paul Sorah does look like a younger version of 38.Special's Don Barnes. On stage the band shows how powerful they are and an exciting, energetic performance was what we were getting. Frontman Vladdy Iskhakov not only plays the audience, he also pours his never lasting energy over his fellow band members, resulting in a strong performance. Highlights for me were the strong versions of Long Ago, Out Alive and a fine version of Coke Can Steve, including some mean violin playing.
 

Riverside

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Mariusz Duda
After two great bands it was time to enjoy the band everybody wanted to see, Riverside. With their new album; Love, Fear And The Time Machine (see review), the band absolutely proves they belong at the top in the progressive rock scene. And I don't agree, as stated on the stage, that people labelled several Riverside albums as 'Polish Deep Purple' or 'Polish Dream Theater', for me Riverside always has had an identity of their own, ever since I got my hands on their debut album Out Of Myself (2003). After the show Mariusz Duda agreed with me, but it was the way the audience saw the albums, he stated. Nevertheless, Riverside played their second Dutch concert in two days, this time to an audience that can be seen as the typical progressive rock audience. Mostly listeners and not the best participants when it comes to singing along. On stage Mariusz Duda was the one who concurred the hearts of the crowd, his vocals do get better every time I see the band live and the quartet plays as tight as can be. Sure there were some minor mistakes, but they were handled with humour and
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Riverside
never disturbed the show. A show that started with the opener for the last album Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat?) and closing the circle with the same album's last song Found (The Unexpected Flaw Of Searching). Several other songs of the album passed by, like Under The Pillow, Saturate Me and Discard Your Fear. All impressive songs that focus more on emotion than on the progressiveness of the compositions. Songs that are regular on every set I guess are Panic Room and Conceiving You, I guess Riverside will always have to play those two wonderful songs and in 013 we were treated with very fine versions of those classics. On stage the interaction between the musicians was good, guitar and keyboard co-operated very well, including funny gestures, but like I wrote frontman Mariusz Duda really is the icing on the cake that is called Riverside, he has definitely grown to be one of the seldom perfect performers.

After the show I could actually meet the band; thanks to my friend Marc for realizing this. I had a great evening and enjoyed every show that evening and above all we had fantastic music. See you next time.

Pedro Bekkers (edited by Astrid de Ronde)

Setlist Riverside:


Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat?)
Feel Like Falling
Hyperactive
Conceiving You
02 Panic Room
Under The Pillow
The Depth Of Self-Delusion
Saturate Me
Egoist Hedonist
We Got Used To Us
Discard Your Fear
Escalator Shrine
Encores:
The Same River
Found (The Unexpected Flaw Of Searching)



Pictures Riverside by Arthur Haggenburg

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Click on the picture to enlarge.

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Line up Riverside:

(left to right)
Piotr Kozieradzki:
drums
Mariusz Duda:
lead vocals and bass guitar
Michal Lapaj:
keyboards
Piotr Grudzinski:
guitars
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Setlist Lion Shepherd:


Fly On
Brave New World
Lights Out
Past In Mirror
Infidel Act Of Love
Smell Of War
Strongest Breed




Pictures Lion Shepherd by Arthur Haggenburg

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Line up Lion Shepherd:

(left to right)
Piotr Podgórski:
drums
Matteo Bassoli:
bass
Kamil Haidar:
lead vocals
Mateusz Owczarek:
guitar, oud
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Setlist The SixxiS:


Long Ago
Nowhere Close
Coke Can Steve
I Wanted More
Failed Design
Dreamers
Out Alive
Believe




Pictures The SixxiS by Arthur Haggenburg

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Line up The SixxiS:

(left to right)
Mark Golden: (not visible)
bass
Paul Sorah:
guitar
Dave Ragsdale:
drums
Vladdy Iskhakov:
vocals, violin and keyboards
Cameron Allen:
guitar
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