Ian Beabout
Mixing and mastering engineer. See ya at ProgDay !
https://cuneiformrecords.bandcamp.co...m/bakers-dozen
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colouratura.bandcamp.com
Each of the three times I saw them with James McGaw in the band, he played a different guitar. And I remember there being talk about at the second NEARfest gig, that the reason the set was delayed was because they were trying to determine whether they should remove the head from the bass drum Zebehn Strain De Geustaah was using, so they could put one with the Gretsch logo on in it's place (because Vander has an endorsement deal with the French division of Gretsch, apparently). As I recall, it didn't actually end up happening, so he played with whatever head was on the bass drum to begin with, I think.
So yeah, they used hired equipment when they play overseas. But I think most traveling bands do that. I know at the two ProgDays where I was on the stage crew, most of the bands used the house drumkit and amps, for instance.
A blog site in Seattle has already announced the possibility of dates in both Seattle and Portland.
'Music French Prog Legends Magma Rumored to Be Hitting Seattle for Their 45th Anniversary Tour Next Year
Posted by Dave Segal on Wed, Dec 10, 2014 at 12:45 PM
The Stranger has learned that plans are afoot for pioneering French prog-rock group Magma to tour North America in 2015 as part of their 45th anniversary celebration. There's talk of both Seattle and Portland dates. Nothing is confirmed yet, but we'll let you know when/if it is.
Led by powerful, bombastic drummer Christian Vander, Magma essentially created a new genre, Zeuhl, which features an invented language (Kobaļan) and a mythological backstory about humans fleeing Earth for the fictional planet Kobaļa. But you can enjoy Magma's music without knowing about any of those elements, especially if you have a high threshold for operatic and steroidal gospel vocals, mad unison chants, complex time signatures, huge and lewd bass throb, late-era-John Coltrane intensity, and a lot more. Pray to whatever higher power you believe in that Magma will make it here, with Vander's full kit and ego intact.'
neil
Missed them the last time here at the Highline Ballroom. Caught the time before in Brooklyn @ Europa; a tiny, sweaty, overpacked room. Unbelievable energy from all that night. I'll travel if necessary this time. Oh, Canada...glorious and free....
"Henry Cow always wanted to push itself, so sometimes we would write music that we couldn't actually play I found that very encouraging." - Lindsay Cooper, 1998
"I have nothing to do with Endless River. Phew! This is not rocket science people, get a grip." - Roger Waters, 2014
"I'm a collector. And I've always just seemed to collect personalities." - David Bowie, 1973
I bet they could sell out a couple of nights at The Great American Music Hall. There's enough proggers in the Bay Area to make that happen.
Wake up to find out that you are the eyes of the world.
I saw them in New York City at the Highline Ballroom a few years ago and the place was packed. I also brought along a friend of mine who grew up on thrash and punk rock and who hates prog but he was won over almost immediately. I'll never forget the moment when he looked over at me and started laughing, just shaking his head.
Without exception, each and every Magma-interestee I've ever spoken to who do not care for "prog" at large, still appear to have a reasonably good sense of what it's about. The Magmaniacs out there who *DO* like "prog" as such, tend to verge towards the less apparent configurations of it.
Just the way it is. But let's not forget these wise words of man on Earth: "Who's this Vander guy anyway?" (- member at "prog" forum)
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
Well, not the US, but I have my tix and my flights for the London show in May 2015! Just need to book my accomodation.
Can't wait as this will be the first time I'll have seen them having been in thrall to them when I heard the first album back in 1974 when I was 17.
I have yet to ever make it to FIMAV but I think I will have to seriously think about attending this show...
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Are the two Quebec gigs, and Terra Incognita all within a fairly close proximity? I could see wanting to catch Magma on the 15th and 17th, and then going to TI on the 16th. Ha, I am mulling over my Kobian game plan.
neil
Terra Incognita is in Quebec City but I don't know the mileage between their venue and the Magma venue, but it's local. Victoriaville is 75 miles SW of Quebec... I'm seriously considering attending the FIMAV show...
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Yves... I think we have met somewhere musically in Quebec over the years! I've experienced FIMAV several times in the past - but usually it depends on the band announcements and my interest. Certainly feel that 2015, with Magma involved as one, might be on the books. Perhaps we will cross paths. I travel up from Derby, Vermont!
Chris Buckley
Outside of being a provincial New Yorker myself, I can't imagine any US dates without a show in NYC. I caught the Highline show too, and that was at least 150-200 people. The Europa show was before my time, but I did see them at the old Leonard St Knitting Factory in 2003 or 2004 (? after NEARfest) when the stage was three rows deep to fit them all up there. Probably the closest thing I've had to a transcendental spiritual experience in my life.
--
Mike |
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You're not a very tall man that has a passing resemblance to Abe Lincoln are you? If you are, then you were sitting exactly one row in front of me at the Hackett show...
For you FIMAV connoisseurs, when do tickets go on sale? What venue can hold Magma? Reserved seating or general admission? Robert (Roddenberry) and I are talking about heading out that way so I'd like to know about tickets. It's close enough for us to head home after the show so we don't need any lodging.
EDIT: Chris, I know you now.... You used to post here as Mr OnionSkin? Of course we've met at shows.. How can you forget Premier Ciel when we shared a table with 'Roid Rage?
Last edited by Yves; 12-17-2014 at 03:24 PM.
"Corn Flakes pissed in. You ranted. Mission accomplished. Thread closed."
-Cozy 3:16-
Tickets: Full festival passes usually go on sale in February (before the full lineup is announced), and single concert tickets usually go on sale in mid-March (after the full lineup is announced).
All shows are general admission, and Magma would pretty much have to be in the local arena (where the junior jockey team plays). Don't worry, it's not really an "arena show" since dark curtains surround the rink and the stage and audience are both at "ice level" so it's basically just a big room. Capacity is maybe 300-400 people.
The festival used to have shows in a downtown movie theatre which was torn down last year to be be replaced by some fancy new arts centre, but I wouldn't expect that to be ready for next year.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
BTW: Still one of the all time great concert announcement:
Rob: OK, let's stop jerking them around. Read the press release, Chad!
Chad: (look at piece of paper) Oh, ya know, I didn't look at this beforehand, and I don't read Kobaļan.
And then to have them drop the US premiere of KA on us. HOLY DREN! And then my friend Rhea manages to find me in between KA and MDK and tells me the seats next to her and her husband are empty, so we're shuffling down the aisle at the War Memorial trying to find their row as the group starts into MDK. Fun evening.
it was typical of me to go into a NEARfest show sight unseen, having never heard a note of a band's output....I went into the '07 Magma show that way, only listening to friends descriptions of what was about to happen...I walked out thinking 'what the heck did i just witness?'...truly interesting, truly original, truly powerful...Christian Vander moved right into my list of top drummers after that performance
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