LIVE ORION

To experience this band live must be something very special (and I'm afraid I will never get the chance). Unfortunately they missed the stage for a longer time now but this album, recorded 1997 at the Orion Spacerock Festival in Baltimore/USA, couldn't capture their fantastic live appearance better.

A diversified performance where they are showing their complete range of qualities and talent and are acting with several guitarists. It seems this gig was also dedicated to some wellknown US-Jam-Bands - for example starting with the first instrumental song Close To The Whipping Post which is really close to this ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND song but of course presented in a more spaced-out QUARKSPACE version.

Some songs are captured from their first regular album - as for example Air - mysterious, percussion driven, with an impressing bass contribution and Chet Santia's ethereal whispering vocals. Or In My Lost Mind which has significant GREATFUL DEAD leanings. The relaxed and mellow Siren Space shines with gentle sparkling piano and a heartbreaking melancholic guitar work. Dead Raven Space after that comes up as a short spacey jam par excellence. Quarkital and my highlight Faerienot Space - originally from 'Spacefolds 1' - are sounding like UMPHREY'S MCGEE and GREATFUL DEAD are working together provided with a special psychedelic floydy flavour.

Dancing Swan is the opening song from their debut - once again a convincing cooperation of intensive percussion, freak-out vocals and guitar plus keyboard twirling around all the way. Whitehawk Space in opposite of their several Blackhawk songs is another impressing improvisation which leaves no doubt that QUARKSPACE is playing in the premier league of this genre.

A groundbreaking example of ambient psychedelic spacey music - near to a masterpiece I have to state finally after listening for several rounds - 4.5 stars really!