LIVE 2019

Kayak is a Dutch symphonic / crossover prog group originating from the seventies. Founder Ton Scherpenzeel (keyboards, composer) was left but nothing but the Kayak legacy, after co-founder Pim Koopman had died in 2009 and the steady line-up until 2015 had all but dispersed into different projects. But then the tables were turned for Scherpenzeel; in 2018 the well-received album 'Seventeen' was released on InsideOut music with a completely new line-up. The band now reinvigorated, it got booked (by Glassville Music) for better venues than before and listening to this simply stellar album it isn't hard to see why.

This is a classic rock / prog concert. It has that musical flair of Queen, that symphonic hardrock of Saga, the heart crushing guitar leads of Camel and that unmatched harmonic and melodic song-writing by Kayak. Though the often gentle and classical influenced keyboards of Scherpenzeel are still the basis for the songs, he is now accompanied with this amazing band that almost outplays him. Guitarist Marcel Singor enhances every melody he touches with his thick lucid guitar tone and adds melodic hardrock finesse and splendor to all the songs. Bassist Kristoffer Gildenlow (former Pain of Salvation) became a fulltime member for the tour, he needs no further introduction. As much I may personally admire the guitar playing of Marcel Singor, he can't help being unable to outshine the newly introduced lead vocalist Bart Schwertman. His performance is worth studying for aspiring vocalists; his immense skill, endurance, variety and sense of style is unmatched by any prog concert I know of. The material ranges from mid-seventies symphonic prog, hardrock, modern symphonic, art pop to rockmusical - songs already sung by three different types of vocalists before him. Yet he finds a common feel to tie everything together in a strong-willed, heartfelt and - above all - festive classic rock vibe.

This 2019 version of Kayak simply crushes some of the original versions of songs like 'Daphne', 'Still My Heart Cries For You', 'Alibi', 'Irene' and 'Starlight Dancer'. On top of it the band produces a stellar version of the band's greatest hit 'Ruthless Queen'. The material of 'Seventeen' sounds significantly better than on the record as well and the albums two mini-epics 'La Peregrina' and 'Cracks' shine brightly here.

With an amazing energy, a strong recording sound and an almost perfect two hour long set-list Kayak delivers what must be one of the best live albums of modern progressive rock. I enjoy it as much as Arena's ''Live & Life'. An essential album for fans of symphonic prog, classic (art)rock and neo-progressive.