An enjoyable evening for the genre crashers
Lifesigns, Jump - The Stables, Milton Keynes, 2nd May 2014.
Jump’s singer John Dexter Jones coined the phrase "genre crashers" while introducing John Prine’s country and western song 'Angel From Montgomery' but it was an eclectic evening throughout, from Jump’s note-perfect acoustic guitar rock to the 'Wall of Sound' modern prog experience as presented by Lifesigns.
The latter’s set also included a few songs from the John Young Band (JYB), the numbers given a heavier, more imposing treatment fans of the old band would not have heard before.
Jump have been around for a quarter of a century and seem to get better and better.
The acoustic version of the band that performed at The Stables featured John Dexter Jones and the two Steves, Hayes and Rundle, on guitars.
So while there were no drums, bass or keyboard each of the missing band members were introduced, and applauded.
John Dexter Jones created a very personal rapport with the audience and has that impenetrable wisdom of the Welsh.
Jones is a bard whose shows have something of poetry and performance art as well as the music, but they paint vivid mind pictures of life in North Wales (a place evoking happy memories of childhood for me) and elsewhere.
Personal favourites 'Bethesda,' 'Freedom Train' and 'Free at Last' were there, but I also liked the newer 'Black Pilgrim' and the John Prine cover (the only non-original piece played all evening).
Lifesigns – John Young (vocals, keyboards), Frosty Beedle (drums), Niko Tsonev (guitar), Jon Poole (bass) and Steve Rispin (sound, mixing desk) – powered into 'Lighthouse' and 'Telephone,' the first two numbers from their outstanding 2013 debut album, with scarcely time to take a breath.
Lifesigns are loud, melodic and proudly prog and although the number of gigs from the band can thus far be counted on the fingers of two hands, I can already detect subtle changes and enhancements taking place in the swirling, many-layered pieces of their music.
As well as the five album tracks, the band performed three older numbers.
'Different' was first performed by the JYB but had been intended for Lifesigns all along.
The other two, 'Open Skies' and 'Kings,' were mainstays of the JYB but they sound even more imposing now.
New Lifesigners Niko Tsonev and Jon Poole are already pretty well known to the fans (especially those that caught the band on the recent Cruise to the Edge boat with YES) and their respective skills add to the dynamic of an already talented band.
Lifesigns has a very solid, tight and robust sound thanks to the imposing drumming of Frosty Beedle and the energetic bass as supplied by Jon Poole, a worthy sibling to bass playing brother Ed (who plays alongside John Young in Bonnie Tyler’s touring band).
The vocals are well handled for a live performance and those who loved the lyrical harmonies created with original bassist Nick Beggs will not be disappointed – all members of the band sing at some stage.
The band have clearly spent many hours rehearsing this material. Melodic it may be, but the intricate nature of much of the music means it’s extremely complex and difficult to play (drummer Frosty Beedle need spend no time at the gym; going through this set is a major workout in itself).
And their confidence is increasing. John Young is adding subtle enhancements to his keyboard work and is quite happy to let the band to stretch a little – Niko Tsonev, for example, has been given space to create some great harmonic lead work that fits the band and the music perfectly.
Thijs Van Leer of Focus adds a spectacularly beautiful flute at one stage (sadly not in person, it’s on the album) but that’s not the only reason this band are starting to remind me of Focus.
The music is very different to that performed by Van Leer’s band but something about the calibre of the songwriting, and the approach to the music, is reminiscent of the Dutch masters.
To paraphrase John Dexter Jones in his introduction to the main act, there is something about the Lifesigns album that sets it apart from its peers.
Indeed there is, John, and with Milton Keynes taken care of it only leaves the small matter of the conquering of the world – assuming there’s any musical justice left on the planet.
Geoff Paddock
for FabricationsHQ
May 2014
Lifesigns, Jump - The Stables, Milton Keynes, 2nd May 2014.
Jump’s singer John Dexter Jones coined the phrase "genre crashers" while introducing John Prine’s country and western song 'Angel From Montgomery' but it was an eclectic evening throughout, from Jump’s note-perfect acoustic guitar rock to the 'Wall of Sound' modern prog experience as presented by Lifesigns.
The latter’s set also included a few songs from the John Young Band (JYB), the numbers given a heavier, more imposing treatment fans of the old band would not have heard before.
Jump have been around for a quarter of a century and seem to get better and better.
The acoustic version of the band that performed at The Stables featured John Dexter Jones and the two Steves, Hayes and Rundle, on guitars.
So while there were no drums, bass or keyboard each of the missing band members were introduced, and applauded.
John Dexter Jones created a very personal rapport with the audience and has that impenetrable wisdom of the Welsh.
Jones is a bard whose shows have something of poetry and performance art as well as the music, but they paint vivid mind pictures of life in North Wales (a place evoking happy memories of childhood for me) and elsewhere.
Personal favourites 'Bethesda,' 'Freedom Train' and 'Free at Last' were there, but I also liked the newer 'Black Pilgrim' and the John Prine cover (the only non-original piece played all evening).
Lifesigns – John Young (vocals, keyboards), Frosty Beedle (drums), Niko Tsonev (guitar), Jon Poole (bass) and Steve Rispin (sound, mixing desk) – powered into 'Lighthouse' and 'Telephone,' the first two numbers from their outstanding 2013 debut album, with scarcely time to take a breath.
Lifesigns are loud, melodic and proudly prog and although the number of gigs from the band can thus far be counted on the fingers of two hands, I can already detect subtle changes and enhancements taking place in the swirling, many-layered pieces of their music.
As well as the five album tracks, the band performed three older numbers.
'Different' was first performed by the JYB but had been intended for Lifesigns all along.
The other two, 'Open Skies' and 'Kings,' were mainstays of the JYB but they sound even more imposing now.
New Lifesigners Niko Tsonev and Jon Poole are already pretty well known to the fans (especially those that caught the band on the recent Cruise to the Edge boat with YES) and their respective skills add to the dynamic of an already talented band.
Lifesigns has a very solid, tight and robust sound thanks to the imposing drumming of Frosty Beedle and the energetic bass as supplied by Jon Poole, a worthy sibling to bass playing brother Ed (who plays alongside John Young in Bonnie Tyler’s touring band).
The vocals are well handled for a live performance and those who loved the lyrical harmonies created with original bassist Nick Beggs will not be disappointed – all members of the band sing at some stage.
The band have clearly spent many hours rehearsing this material. Melodic it may be, but the intricate nature of much of the music means it’s extremely complex and difficult to play (drummer Frosty Beedle need spend no time at the gym; going through this set is a major workout in itself).
And their confidence is increasing. John Young is adding subtle enhancements to his keyboard work and is quite happy to let the band to stretch a little – Niko Tsonev, for example, has been given space to create some great harmonic lead work that fits the band and the music perfectly.
Thijs Van Leer of Focus adds a spectacularly beautiful flute at one stage (sadly not in person, it’s on the album) but that’s not the only reason this band are starting to remind me of Focus.
The music is very different to that performed by Van Leer’s band but something about the calibre of the songwriting, and the approach to the music, is reminiscent of the Dutch masters.
To paraphrase John Dexter Jones in his introduction to the main act, there is something about the Lifesigns album that sets it apart from its peers.
Indeed there is, John, and with Milton Keynes taken care of it only leaves the small matter of the conquering of the world – assuming there’s any musical justice left on the planet.
Geoff Paddock
for FabricationsHQ
May 2014
