ProgFrog 12.5 years
The Boxx Orchestra & Flamborough Head

March 26, 2023 - 't Blok, Nieuwerkerk a/d IJssel (NL)


Congratulations to the Amazing ProgFrog Team!!!

What started 12.5 years ago as a joke turned out to be a serious platform for progressive rock bands from all over the world. Acts such as Anubis (Australia), M!ndgames (Belgium), Unreal City (Italy),
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The ProgFrog & Background Magazine team
The Far Meadow (United Kingdom), Anima Mundi (Cuba), KariBoW (Germany), 3RDegree (USA) and Franck Carducci (France) were welcomed! ProgFrog gave them a stage on which they could show all their musical talents to the many progheads in the Netherlands and beyond. In 2010 a private Flamborough Head concert for a small group of friends at 't Blok in Nieuwerkerk aan de Ijssel, was the start of something which nobody actually had foreseen. Since that time on a monthly basis every Sunday afternoon bands are invited and booked who you hardly see anywhere else. A bit like the people from the legendary Progfarm Festival did a long time ago. To celebrate this 12.5 year anniversary they invited again the band which started it all. Namely the earlier mentioned Flamborough Head, the band who organised the already mentioned Progfarm Festival in the past! So full circle so to speak. However before the crowd could enjoy them another Dutch act would be climbing the stage. The Boxx Orchestra had the task to warm up the audience.

 

The Boxx Orchestra

The Boxx Orchestra was founded by keyboard player and songwriter Jan Boekestein. In the 70s and 80s he played in the progressive rock band Argyll and later in power rock band The Boxx. The band themselves describes their music as symphonic power rock, with complex almost 'classic' and then again "straight between the eyes" rock. They say that no matter how much 'power', the songs are always rich in melody plus harmonic and rhythmic 'surprises'.
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Ria Mulder (►more pics)
The band's repertoire consists of songs from the period of Argyll and The Boxx, but in an 'upgraded 2023' version, supplemented with a lot of new material taken from debut album Out Of The Boxx. Included is their debut single The Eye Of The Storm. A song which was inspired by the bizarre situation due to covid, and can be seen as a tribute to all healthcare workers. Unfortunately the band had to skip this composition because lead singer Ria Mulder, who started as a bass player, had laryngitis (which is a throat infection) and therefore wasn't able to do a complete set. Four songs were skipped from the setlist. Thank God the second single from the album, A Star Almost Fell, was not one of them. This song was without doubt one of the musical highlights during the bands performance. The earlier mentioned Jan Boekestein and guitarist Jos van der Zanden were the musicians on stage who provided from time to time some pleasantly sounding solo's on the compositions. This way the progressive rock influences came to the surface several times. The bands performance was certainly well done. Most of all the band's lead singer, who's voice sometimes reminded me of the way how Toyah Wilcox sings, deserves a big compliment. The way how she managed to sing her parts, while having some serious health issues, was really outstanding. So thumbs up for Ria! But also for the rest of the band for warming up the audience!
 

Flamborough Head

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Margriet Boomsma (►more pics)
Flamborough Head are without doubt one of the better progressive rock bands in the Netherlands. Since they released their debut Unspoken Whisper in 1998, I have been following their career. A career in which they released several albums and went through some line up chances. Last year the band released their long awaited new album Jumping The Milestone (see review), their seventh studio album so far. An album which featured the band's new members. Bassist Eddie Mulder, who had been in the band before as their guitar player, and guitarist Hans Spitzen. Spitzen who released in 2015 his excellent solo album Fingerprints (see review).Therefore I was really looking forward hearing him on the new album and doing some concerts with the band. Strangely enough since he has been in the band he only played twice with them. The last time was five years ago in 2017.

As we all know it isn't easy for rather unknown progressive rock bands to get booked by venues to do concerts. Therefore it was good that the people of ProgFrog asked the band to play at 't Blok to celebrate together their 12.5 year anniversary. The band was probably very keen to play at this party. However a problem occurred. Mulder had to leave the band due to other activities and a replacement had to be found on short notice. Peter Stel, former Leap Day and Nice Beaver bassist, was willing to step in and learn all the songs for this performance.
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Peter Stel (►more pics)
A performance which was dominated by songs taken from the new album. All of the songs were done perfectly, including the title track which is my favourite of the album. Playing so many new songs meant that not much of the band's back catalogue could be done. There was only time for three older pieces of music. Maureen and Andrassy Road were done during the regular set. Garden Of Dreams, from their second album Defining The Legacy (2000), was the usual encore. During the bands performance it became clear right from the start that they sounded very fresh and modern with the two new musicians in the band. The new blood in the band gave energy to come up with a very strong performance. Most of all the playing of Stel on bass was very impressive. He played as if he had in the band for many years. Also the crystal clear guitar sound of Spitzen was a delight to hear. Keyboard player and founding member Edo Spanninga was after the concert very positive about the new line up. He told me that he certainly wants to record a new album with the musicians that are in the band nowadays. But that's in the years to come I guess. For now let's hope the band can be seen more often on a stage doing perfect concerts as they just did!

Looking back I can only be positive about this great Sunday afternoon at 't Blok. The two fine performances made it a great anniversary party. Which the people of ProgFrog certainly deserved after doing such a great job for the progressive rock scene in the Netherlands. Hopefully we can also have more anniversary parties in the years to come.

Henri Strik (edited by Tracy van Os van den Abeelen)


Live video
recordings

Henri & Roel Strik

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One To Fit (6:39)
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A Friend (3:17)
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A Star Almost Fell (5:30)


Setlist The Boxx Orchestra:


Go For The Night
Words Of Laughter
Message At The Bleep
Daybreak
Will I
One To Fit
A Star Almost Fell
In Ruins
A Friend



Pictures The Boxx Orchestra
by Arthur Haggenburg

>>> Click here to view all pics on one page.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

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Line up The Boxx Orchestra:

(left to right)
Kees Schollen:
drums
Jos van der Zanden:
guitars, backing vocals
Walter Hüsstege:
bass guitar
Ria Mulder:
lead vocals
Jan Boekestein:
Keyboards, backing vocals
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Live video
recordings

Henri & Roel Strik

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Start of a Nightmare (8:37)
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Tomorrow is Another Day (7:20)



Setlist Flamborough Head:


Walls Of Words / Signs Misread
Maureen
The Garden Shed
Andrassy Road
Jumping The Milestone
Start Of A Nightmare
Tomorrow Is Another Day
Encore:
Garden Of Dreams



Pictures Flamborough Head by Arthur Haggenburg

>>> Click here to view all pics on one page.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

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Line up Flamborough Head:

(left to right)
Peter Stel:
bass guitar, backing vocals
Koen Roozen:
drums and percussion
Margriet Boomsma:
lead vocals, recorder, flute
Edo Spanninga:
keyboards
Hans Spitzen:
guitar, backing vocals
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