Prog Nation - Part 1

I'm a huge fan of Dream Theater. I've seen them live at least once supporting each album since Images and Words. With the release of Black Clouds and Silver Linings in June, I knew a live show would be coming up soon. Late in the spring they announced a series of dates in Europe they were calling the Progressive Nation tour, featuring Zappa Plays Zappa. I remember feeling really put out because I'd really wanted to see the Zappa show when it had hit New York a while back, but with ticket prices being what they are now it wasn't something I could afford. So I was really excited when DT decided to extend the Prog Nation tour to include the US and Canada. I had the privilege of seeing the show this past weekend at the Brookhaven Amphitheater on Long Island.

First, I have to give props to the first two bands on the line-up, Scale the Summit and Bigelf. Scale the Summit is a four piece instrumental band hailing from Houston. The average age of the band is 22, but they had incredible chops for guys so young. Their sound was heavy and clean, and I think they are going to be a group to watch as they mature. I had to laugh, though, after their set, when as low men on the totem pole, they broke down their own gear. Bigelf is also a four piece, but with vocals. Based in LA, the band has a cult following in Europe and has a sound reminiscent of some of the British metal bands like Deep Purple. Vocalist Damon Fox (who we met briefly before the show) looks like a cross between Dave Navarro and the singer of Doctor and the Medics with a mesmerizing way of putting over a song. If you're going to a Prog Nation show, make sure you get there in time to see both acts. They are well worth it.

So now it's time for some Zappa. Let me just say I know very little about Frank Zappa's music. I've always thought the man was brilliant and funny, but his music was a bit too "out there" for me. The only song I knew was the one about not eating the yellow snow, and that he had amazing guitarists in his band like Steve Vai and Warren Cuccurullo. I became a fan of Dweezil back in the late 80s when he was an MTV veejay and he had his own record out - the only song I can remember is "I Want A Yacht" with some spoken lyrics by comedian Bobcat Goldthwaite. An accomplished guitarist in his own right, Dweezil is introducing a new generation of fans to Frank's music.

I was blown away from the very first song, Zomby Woof. The caliber of musicianship of each and every member of the band was outstanding. The vocalist, Ben Thomas, sounded uncannily like Frank himself. The sound was crystal clear and bright. Quite literally, I was amazed by each and every song.

The lyrics to a lot of the songs are campy - besides the one about the yellow snow, I caught one about a face like a potato - but the music itself is what really captured me. It was progressive before progressive was cool. Not being a musician myself, it's hard to find the right words to accurately describe what I was listening to. I'd read that Frank was a maestro of sorts, very matter of fact about how he wanted a piece to sound and very demanding of his musicians. Listening to just a few songs, I could see why. To perform this music, these players has to be at the top of their game. During the last song of the set, Willie The Pimp, Dweezil stepped deftly into the maestro role as he directed his band into a series of changes with some hand motions and head movements. I also have newfound respect for him as a guitar player as a beautiful solo he did during either Peaches En Regalia or Inca Roads (again, not familiar enough with the material to know which one it was) kept me transfixed. I couldn't take my eyes off the stage.

The Set List:
Zomby Woof
Montana
Village of the Sun
Echidna's Arf (Of You)
San Ber'dino
Don't Eat the Yellow Snow
Peaches En Regalia
Inca Roads
More Trouble Every Day
Willie The Pimp

Dream Theater up next...