Fans had been looking forward to Spock’s Beard’s performance at De Pul in Uden on Friday evening, February 6. The band has been around for over 30 years, but is still beloved. Nick Potters became the new drummer a few years ago. For most fans, it was the first time they had seen him drumming with SB, as the band had only performed once in the Netherlands in the past five years.
The lights in the hall dimmed. Then, strangely enough, there was silence. This lasted about 3.5 minutes, but finally there was sound and the band members entered the stage under loud cheers. The first notes of “At the End of the Day” were played. Frontman Ted Leonard looked around the vuene, and was pleased to see that it was well filled. He alternated between playing the keyboards and guitar.
The sound was not yet optimal, but a number of fans sang along to this well-known song. Ryo Okumoto’s virtuoso keyboard playing was rewarded with cheers. During the more subdued parts, Ted sang with emotion, beautifully complemented by high backing vocals.
The Archaeoptimist
“Invisible” is the opening song of the new album “The Archaeoptimist.” Those who already had the album, immediately recognized the a cappella intro. As expected, Ryo stood very energetically behind his keyboards. He regularly looked up, his fingers seeming to move across the keys as if by themselves. Guitarist Alan Morse played wirelessly, taking full advantage of the freedom this gave him. First he played facing Ryo, and a moment later he was dancing next to Ted. You could see they were having fun, and they played well too. The same was true for the calm bassist Dave Meros and the enthusiastic Nick, who played the drums very well. Afterwards, each song was rewarded with applause, but it wasn’t very loud yet.
After “Crack the Big Sky,” they played “Electric Monk.” This is also from “The Archaeoptimist,” an album that marks SB’s return to their old style. Ted announced the title track, an epic nearly 21 minutes long, which starts with unique sounds. Ted alternated powerful vocals with subdued, emotional singing, matching the music. Ryo danced energetically behind his keyboards, barely managing to hold on to his laptop, which almost slid off the equipment rack. The roadie reconnected a disconnected cable. The band members remained focused and continued singing and playing. This brilliantly performed epic was rightly rewarded with loud applause.
Next Step
All band members contributed to the backing vocals, and the blend of voices was excellent throughout. The twists and turns in the complex songs were played well. During the subdued moments, the band members went along with the emotion. There was no rivalry between the guitarists; they allowed each other to take the solos. Every now and then, Alan played with a bottle neck.
All the solos were well lit, but sometimes there was just too little done with the lighting. It doesn’t have to be very flashy or fast, but a little more variety would have contributed to a more beautiful visual experience. Despite this, there was a lot to look at: there was plenty of interaction between the band members, who stood next to or facing each other while playing. Alan regularly got down on his knees; his energy was not only visible, you could also hear it in his guitar playing, which was sometimes quite fast. The last song, “Next Step,” was announced too early for my liking.
Go the Way You Go
For the encore, the band chose “Go the Way You Go.” Alan clapped, the audience followed, and Alan smiled broadly. During the subdued part, the fans sang along respectfully. Alan used both the bottleneck and the whammy bar. The band members left the stage, after which Nick played an excellent drum solo. The band members returned one more time, with Ryo playing a keytar, producing extraordinary sounds from the keys. Ted and Alan stood next to him, also playing fantastically. This extensive, complex instrumental piece was greatly appreciated by the audience, who sang along to the chorus a little later. The extended final applause was well deserved. These men had played non-stop for over two hours.
After the show, it was quite crowded at the merchandise stand. The band members were busy signing the purchased items. Although not everything went perfectly, everyone can look back on a good start to the European tour.