Truly incredible. It's been twelve years since I last witnessed the American progressive group Spock's Beard in concert at the Bosuil in Weert. A lot has happened with me and the band since then. Brief Nocturnes And Dreamless Sleep (see review) had just been released in 2013 and was promoted during that concert. And now The Archaeoptimist (see review) was released in 2025 and now promoted with a short European tour brought them to the Netherlands, Germany, Norway and Sweden. In between those years the band released two other studio albums. Namely The Oblivion Particle (2015, see review) and Noise Floor (2018, see review). Unfortunately, I didn't see any concerts by them when they promoted those albums. Strangely enough the line up of the band has been rather steady and only the place is behind the drums that has seen different people throughout those years. Anyway, it's great to see them once again on a stage doing all their classic Spock's Beard compositions and some of the songs taken from their latest album. There is always a party going on when The Beard are on stage!  

Of course, not everything went perfectly, but the general impression was that the band was in top form and genuinely eager to give the more than 500 spectators a fantastic evening. And they certainly succeeded, as I, and especially the rest of the audience, sometimes went wild when they performed yet another well-known classic. Like with the

Ted Leonard (►more photos)

opening number At The End Of The Day was played or when songs like Crack The Big Sky, On A Perfect Day, Walking On The Wind, and the encore Go The Way You were announced.

Of course, the new album, The Archaeoptomist, was presented. Lead singer Ted Leonard, who delivered the same powerful vocals on stage as on their studio albums, asked who in attendance already owned it. As expected, not everyone raised their hands, as the album has proven more difficult to obtain since their switch to a different label. Therefore, the album was also widely purchased on CD and vinyl at the merchandise stand after the concert. There, they also offered the opportunity to have the album signed by all the band members. Something you don't always see after a concert. So, kudos to you, gentlemen, for taking the time to do so. But back to the concert and the new album. Usually, a well-known band performs two new songs from their latest release, partly because fans usually want to hear familiar material. But not with our American and Japanese friends on stage. They chose to perform four of the six songs on the album, including the twenty-minute title track. Plus, the catchy single Invisible, Electric Monk, and the Genesis (Cinema Show)-like Next Step. Apparently, the latter song wasn't yet familiar to everyone. Because when Leonard asked the title of the last song of the

Ryo Okumoto and Alan Morse (r) (►more photos)

album, almost no one could answer. Luckily, there was one who did know, and he was promised a bottle of wine as a reward, which unfortunately couldn't be fulfilled. But that didn't spoil the fun, of course. All the new material was performed with great enthusiasm, and there were times when it was truly freaking out like during the aforementioned epic.

A concert lasting more than two hours usually has a few musical highlights, even though everything played was a joy to listen to. But I'd still like to highlight a few. Like the aforementioned title track, where the band pulled out all the stops and completely let loose musically. Their true classics, Walking On The Wind and Go The Way You, also deserve to be mentioned as highlights of this excellent concert. The first song mentioned featured some impressive musical parts from bassist Dave Meros, guitarist Alan Morse, and keyboardist Ryo Okumoto (including a fantastic organ solo). The encore, my absolute favourite Beard song, Go The Way You, was fully extended, featuring a drum solo from new drummer Nick Potters (he told me after the show that the band had asked him to play a drum solo), several guitar and keyboard solos, including a mobile

L to R: Ted Leonard, Ryo Okumoto and Alan Morse (►more photos)

solo spot by Ryo, who then also duelled with Alan on guitar. This is, of course, what you go to a concert for. At home, you can also listen to the regular studio version. These guys know how to do it, once again. They give you that extra something that makes you get in your car to see the band play on stage. Like the sumo wrestling act between Ryo and Ted, or the amazing guitar duels between Ted and Alan. This is what you want to see and hear when you're standing in front of the stage with so many other enthusiasts.

Hopefully, it won't be another twelve years before I can see this amazing live band on stage again. Because something like what I and everyone else witnessed is something we all want to experience every few years. But before then, there's a brand-new live album and DVD/Blu-ray available in stores so you can watch, listen to, and above all, enjoy what we've seen before. Even if it's a show filmed just the next day in Zoetemeer. It's going to be fantastic, I'm absolutely certain of it. Because I bet these guys will again be at the top of their game when they play at De Boerderij before continuing their tour in Germany and the colder countries, weather-wise, Sweden and Norway. Thanks, guys, for a fantastic evening, and my thanks also go to the people at De Pul in Uden who arranged everything perfectly. Sometimes you wish concerts were always like this!

Henri Strik (edited by Dave Smith)