HIGH VOLTAGE FESTIVAL 2010

DATE:

VENUE:

Saturday 24th July - Sunday 25th July 2010

Victoria Park in London, UK

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER; MARILLION; OPETH; URIAH HEEP; MAGNUM; UFO; WISHBONE ASH

ZZ TOP; TRANSATLANTIC; HEAVEN & HELL; SAXON; DWEEZIL ZAPPA; HAMMERFALL; BIGELF; ORANGE GOBLIN; FOCUS; PENDRAGON; TOUCHSTONE

Marillion onstage at Victoria Park, 25th July 2010

Photograph copyright © 2010 Ross Cooper - www.extantphotography.co.uk

Reviews by Elena Francis; Photography by Ross Cooper (www.extantphotography.co.uk)

Reviews by Elena Francis; Photography by Ross Cooper (www.extantphotography.co.uk)

OPETH

“We are Poison from Los Angeles.” Such dry humour emanating from the Metal Hammer Stage can only come from Mikael Akerfeldt of Swedish prog/death metallers Opeth, who arrive on stage a few minutes late. Originally positioned on the Prog Stage, they were moved to the larger yet equally suitable Metal Hammer Stage, a wise decision given the congregation that has come to watch them. Opeth unravel their typical show with plenty of headbanging and helpings from the latter end of their career. After opening with ‘Windowpane’, the token ballad has passed and the Swedes plunder on with their rabid brand of aural despair. Depressive prog rock passages are sandwiched between down-tuned, death metal riffs and muscled double-bass drumming. The growls of Akerfeldt contrast sharply against his emotive, clean singing, sculpting a coherent symbiosis between the chaotic and the subdued. The sinister nature of ‘The Grand Conjuration’, the deception of ‘The Drapery Falls’ (“This is from the ‘Look What the Cat Dragged In’ album…”) and the technically proficient newer ‘Lotus Eater’ are all fan favourites in Opeth’s live canon that die-hards have endured countless times. As is the standard protocol during Opeth’s festival sets, just as the music truly starts to get going, it reaches a horrid stop thanks to the imposed time constraints. The thirteen minute behemoth ‘Deliverance’ closes the set remarkably but too soon, with plentiful fans baying like hounds for more. But no. After five lengthy melancholic anthems, Opeth have come and gone. Despite there being no surprise in this set at all if you have seen Opeth any time before, perhaps the band may have been able to convert a few naysayers who consider Opeth too aggressive and ‘shouty ‘ to be considered prog.

SUNDAY 25th JULY - PART 2

MARILLION

Classic proggers from the ‘80s, Marillion are on the Prog Stage, having to compete against Phil stoner metal Down on the Metal Hammer Stage, stomping all over the gentle British band. Marillion open with ‘The Invisible Man’ from their 2004 ‘Marbles’ album. For those who were expecting hits from the group’s most popular peak in the eighties, they would be disappointed. Popular hits such as ‘Kayleigh’, ‘Sugar Mice’ and ‘Lavender’ were omitted from the set unsurprisingly in favour of the Steve Hogarth era of the band. The only Fish-era song Marillion offer to the audience is the tender ‘Slainte Mhath’ from ‘Clutching at Straws’. Compared to the aforementioned emotive powerhouses, ‘Slainte Mhath’ seems an unusual classic to resurrect live, given its reserved progression. Another surprise is the absent ‘Happiness is the Road’ material. With this double CD being the last album heralding original material from Marillion, it seems certain that some of it would make an appearance tonight. Instead, the audience receive the frankly soporific ‘Afraid of Sunlight’, ‘King’ and ‘This Strange Engine’. The band themselves are disappointing to watch, save Hogarth with his energy that contradicts the mellow music and his pirouettes. Marillion’s music was soft yet fresh modern rock with a variety of influences including alternative rock, indie and traces of their original prog rock form. While it is great to see a band as old as Marillion having developed their style throughout the years as opposed to adhere to what got them recognised initially, their newer songs are largely unmemorable. Vacating the stage after ‘Neverland’, the quintet return for an encore medley of ‘This Town’, ‘The Rakes of Progress’ and ‘100 Nights’. By this point, the audience is thin, presumably having headed over to the Main Stage to catch the elusive Emerson, Lake and Palmer.

EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER

The crowd appears vast for the headliners and rightfully so. Emerson, Lake and Palmer’s (or ELP for the sake of sanity henceforth) appearance at High Voltage is a one-off affair, celebrating the band’s fortieth anniversary. The ‘70s prog rock giants are already on stage, ploughing through their lengthy compilation set with zeal spread thickly on their faces. The trio look highly absorbed by their instruments, particularly Keith Emerson with his signature organ. Greg Lake’s vocals are still commendable alongside his bass playing and the same could be said for Carl Palmer, regarding his drum kit. His dexterity on the instrument is jaw-dropping. Clearly none of his talent has diminished with time. ‘Bitches Crystal’, ‘Knife-Edge’ and ‘Take a Pebble’ are a few of the offerings for the fans to devour. A medley of ‘Tarkus’ (‘Eruption’, ‘Stones of Years’, ‘Iconoclast’, ‘Mass’, ‘Battlefield’ and ‘Aquatakus) is ingested particularly well with audible appreciation from the punters. Despite a few feedback issues, the sound for ELP is decidedly clear. Following a medley of ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, the show is seemingly over. However, ELP return for their highly anticipated encore, which consists of an elongated ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’, inclusive of a spectacular drum solo from Carl Palmer, followed by part of ‘Rondo’. This is a great monolith to ‘70s prog rock and a rare appearance that those who watched should have been thankful for. It was a sublime way to finish off the inaugural High Voltage festival too and I can bet that plenty of this year’s clientele will return next year. Fantastic.