LIVE AT PROGTOBERFEST / CHICAGO

And yes, they are amazing. Alpha Lighting System is a band whose steps I've followed since four or five years ago when I discovered them, a band of three young and one veteran virtuosos that nowadays represent (at least to my ears) the best example of top-notch progressive rock made in Mexico.

After so many years working hard, they have opened their own path to success. After having worked with Yes' bass player Billy Sherwood, and having won the "7 Notes Music Challenge" organized by renowned musician Serj Tankian, these guys were chosen to play at Progtober Fest, a prestigious annual progressive rock festival in Chicago, which probably meant their first international live challenge. They did great, gaining some new fans and also, daring to record their performance and then release it as their first live album simply entitled: "Live at Progtober Fest / Chicago".

Their show was short but quite solid, the song curation was excellent and as far as I know, the audience response was very positive, which is something that excites me a lot because I have witnessed their improvement, I mean, they look more confident, the play like if they had 10 or 15 years on the road, their sound and connection is very mature, very solid, and despite I could not attend to this show in particular, I could saw them last December opening for The Pineapple Thief, and wow, they simply blew me away.

After that show I decided, well no, I re-confirmed they are my current favorite Mexican band, which is why I have kept my eye on them and recommend them every time I can. The quality of this live album speaks for itself, from the short opener track "Mistly" to the ambitious and amazing epic "Pyschosis", the band gave everything on stage, which is why the result is quite positive, quite amazing.

These four guys really know how to create prog rock of high quality, several years of friendship have given them the tools to understand each other musically and to support each other, so one of the things I would like to point out is that the band is formed by four equal parts, though Alam might be the front-man due to his position as singer, what Jaco, Joshua and Juan do is as important and remarkable in both, studio and on stage, so in concert it is difficult to keep watching one of them, because all have their personality and all have their moments, and I think that great connection is a definitive part of ALS's success.

Yeah, progressive rock is what we find here, but of course, the band has been also surrounded by classical music, metal, jazz and funk, influences we can appreciate here and there not only in this live album, but in the two studio releases. Trained musicians with pure talent and with an endless aim to create.

I am eagerly waiting for their third studio album, right now I have a clue of what it might be, and I bet it will give us only satisfactory thoughts. I am sure it will be amazing!

Please take a listen to this live album, I am sure you will like and hopefully you share the voice and let the band reach more and more ears worldwide, and of course, more opportunities for new international live exposure.

Enjoy it!