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Thread: BAJA PROG DAY FOUR THREAD

  1. #1
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    BAJA PROG DAY FOUR THREAD

    anyone wanna review day 4?

    CRISALIDA

    JELONEK

    MYSTERY

    JOBSON
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  2. #2
    JELONEK - I was looking forward to these guys, but I was pretty disappointed. There's no question that Jelonek is a very talented violinist, but that alone could not make up for the lack of imagination in the songs. All I heard was some impressive violin solos over a pretty standard metal rhythm section. Even the guitar player did nothing except typical crunchy metal chords. So much potential to do some interesting metal based prog. Yeah, they did a couple of classical pieces rearranged. But I don't think I heard anything out of 4/4 the entire set.

    Mystery - Only caught the last third of their set (missed most of it for an incredible Italian meal at Mezzasole), but from what I did hear, I think our decision to eat a great dinner was the correct choice. What I did hear was some pretty uninspired prog. Even Benoit's singing was mediocre, at best. His pitch was all over the place. My friends who did see the entire show regretted not going to dinner with us.

    Jobson - Of the 3 times of seen him over the last couple of years, this was his best performance. The band was tight, Jobson was playing great, the selection of pieces was good. Donati proved why he is one of the best drummers in the world, Bonilla was sounding an awful lot like Wetton, Machacek played great (although it would have been nice if he stepped out of the shadows).

    Can't wait for the 2014 edition of Baja Prog!
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

  3. #3
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    CRISALIDA wore silver alien masks and did stuff with 'found sounds' from NASA and other places with spacey atmospherics which would give way to crunchy rhythms. They didnt wow me but I enjoyed it.

    JELONEK impersonated Cookie Monster repeatedly screaming MEXICALI before and after EVERY FRIGGIN SONG! If that wasn't annoying enough, the music was pedestrian 4/4 Metal. I left before the end.

    MYSTERY was a complete mystery; the mystery being why these guys took up an evening slot on the last day! They shoulda been in the afternoon with Galahad and it coulda been billed 'Neo After Noon'. Pedestrian, and to boot the singer kept going off key.

    JOBSON was great. Opened with the only tune I just had to see him play live, In The Dead Of Night. I was satisfied at that point but then Carrying No Cross killed too. Wish he woulda done more stuff from the first UK album since he had the phenomenal Alex MacHachek on Guitar. As it was, AM didnt have much to do after the opening piece and even left the stage for much of the show. EJ played Resident from the Green Album. I woulda preferred Who My Friends which I think is the best tune on that album. He played Theme of Secrets and I woulda preferred the much stronger Lakemist from that album. Sherwood is much better as a backing musician. I actually enjoyed his performance this time round. Donati is not Brufordesque but he's every bit as good as Bruf in his own way. Marc Bonilla is a fantastic Guitarist who did nothing except sound like Wetton... which was ok AFAIC
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  4. #4
    JELONEK, They were the best band of the festival. They had the biggest crowd response of any band that played. It was a great show. And I was wondering what Paul Whitehead was doing on stage with CRISALIDA in space suits. And I'm sorry, MYSTERY were very good. I really don't get why neo bands are so trash all the time, I really enjoyed Galahad to. Its also to bad that people watch 1-3 songs then leave and say the band was crap, I saw every minute of every show and yes there were some so-so band ( Crimson, Panzerballet) , but there were lots of great shows (JELONEK, New Trolls). I figure I'm there to see and hear music, not to sightsee, not to go out to dinner, not to do anything but hear music.

  5. #5
    Quote Originally Posted by Surfink View Post
    JELONEK, They were the best band of the festival. They had the biggest crowd response of any band that played.
    But they weren't a prog band. They were straight ahead metal. Everything they did was in 4/4. If you take away the violin, you are left with mediocre metal.

    They had a big crowd response because they attracted a younger, metal oriented crowd. Crowd response is not a sign of a band's quality. If so, Universe Zero would have received a huge response in 2007, instead of clearing a third of the audience from the theater.

    It was a great show. And I was wondering what Paul Whitehead was doing on stage with CRISALIDA in space suits.
    Paul was planning on putting on his own show of his "Borg Symphony". He could not find the time or the space for it, so he got Cresaleda to wear the costumes.

    And I'm sorry, MYSTERY were very good. I really don't get why neo bands are so trash all the time, I really enjoyed Galahad to. Its also to bad that people watch 1-3 songs then leave and say the band was crap
    It's not about trashing Neo bands. I stated elsewhere that I liked Galahad's performance. But there are some performances that are just bad. Mystery is supposedly known for their singer, but he could not sing. He was off key the entire night. No amount of standing with your arms spread, gazing skyward will make up for pedestrian music and poor vocals.

    I saw every minute of every show and yes there were some so-so band ( Crimson, Panzerballet) , but there were lots of great shows (JELONEK, New Trolls). I figure I'm there to see and hear music, not to sightsee, not to go out to dinner, not to do anything but hear music.
    Crimson's performance was bad. See my review of them on the Baja day 2 thread.

    Panzerballet are a great band. They are all amazing musicians, with a sense of humor, and their brand of very complex metal-fusion is always interesting.

    New Trolls were also great. Their performance is what I'm talking about. Great musicianship by all members, great vocals and vocal harmonies, very little in 4/4 and very tight. Everything that Mystery was not.

    I was also there to hear music first and foremost. But I was familiar with Mystery's music before I went to the fest. My friend had it on his iPod and we listened again on the way down. I knew beforehand that I had no interest in what they had to offer, even if they were able to perform it well. Some of the people I was with were fine with skipping a band that none of us were interested in seeing for an incredible meal. There was no other evening band there that we would have missed for a meal.

    I'm not putting anyone down for liking Mystery (or Neo). I'm only pointing out why I thought it was a bad performance.
    And if there were a god, I think it very unlikely that he would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence - Russell

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Surfink View Post
    I figure I'm there to see and hear music, not to sightsee, not to go out to dinner, not to do anything but hear music.
    That's me also. I don't practically care for people talking during a show either, I felt the afternoon shows had too much of this. Never been to any other festival beside Baja (11 out of 13 editions), but I just can't picture that many teens, moms with their kids and such attending other Prog festivals. Sure I get some people taking their kids to a prog show, I might do it next year (my 13 year old daughter), but there where people there that seem way out of place.

    For everything Alfonso does right, and he does plenty putting this festival on, I always feel like it's becoming too much of a social scene.

    Even though I enjoyed Jelonek, the Mexicali scream got old by the 3rd time let alone the dozen times later, I felt he was playing to the crowd. I expected a lot more from this band. I can tolerate 4/4 for quite some time, don't mind the guitarist was only there to play riffs but where was the keyboardist? He added practically nothing; I was able to hear him only on a couple of songs. I think the most he did has follow the violin note for note and this I notice by watching him more that from hearing him. Again, I did enjoy Jelonek and I'm willing to bet he comes back next year because of the crowd response. I would rather hear an unknown who I might not end up caring for than Jelonek again, unless of course he has a much more interesting show musically.

    It’s just great to have BajaProg back and hopefully for many more years to come. For anything I don’t care for there are always great moments, moments when you just close your eyes and its all about the great music being played.

  7. #7
    BTW I quite enjoyed Mystery but something in his voice seemed odd. Not having an educated ear I could not notice he was off key, thanks simon moon for pointing this out. I was surprised they where the only band, as far as I remember, that did no encore. I was expecting them to do so.

  8. #8
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ridge View Post
    It’s just great to have BajaProg back and hopefully for many more years to come. For anything I don’t care for there are always great moments, moments when you just close your eyes and its all about the great music being played.
    and that folks, says it all. I'm told by the "Prog" illuminati that one of my favorite bands, Edhels is "Neo" so I must like something about Neo. I just did not like Galahad or Mystery. It's not 'Neo bashing', it's just preference.
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  9. #9
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    I also was there to see and hear music. Some of the others in my party went for dinner on Saturday, but I went to the show. The main thing with Mystery for me was the off pitch vocals which ruined it for me.

    So this was 13 out of 13 for me at Baja Prog. I can't believe I haven't missed a single one. It is great to have it back.

    Since this is a day 4 thread, I loved the Jobson set. I also really enjoyed the CRISALIDA set.

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