LIVE FROM LONDON

In the mid Eighties the neo prog movement really started to blossom, for UK tv station Superchannel a good reason to broadcast a serie of concerts from the most popular bands: Marillion, IQ, Twelfth Night and Pallas. In those days we could receive Superchannel in Holland, as neo-prog aficionados we were delighted with these very pleasant events, our beloved music on tv! Later I bought the videos and DVD's and could experience these memorable gigs again and again. I notice on PA that the Pallas ' Live In London DVD has only 9 ratings and no reviews, so I wanted do to justice to that memorable gig by Pallas in London 1985 with this review.

The Superchannel concerts were recorded in the small venue Camden Palace Theatre in London, all sold out, the atmosphere was very intimate. This gives an extra dimension, you can watch that the interaction between fans and the band fueled the perfomance. The 'medium' in that experience was Alan Reed, Pallas their singer and frontman. After 15 minutes he pulls off his shirt, with his naked upper body and his tight white pants he looks like a young Mick Jagger. But more handsome (haha) and no horny ego-maniac behaviour. In contrary, you can see that the charming Alan loves to please his fans and he enjoys performing the Pallas music on stage. A funny contrast is the huge bass player Graeme Murray with his impressive Rickenbacker bass and the small Alan with his microphone. Remarkable is the wide range of keyboards from Ronnie Brown, including a 4-layer rack, when he plays the upper keyboard, his hands are above his head, some 'Wakemanesque grandeur'!

Pallas plays a very inspired set (9 songs), there is respect and pleasure on stage (later this went totally wrong), the crowd enjoys the blend of harder-edged melodic rock and symphonic rock, topped with strong soli on guitar and keyboards, a tight and powerful rhythm-secton and passionate vocals by Alan Reed. Halfway Nightmare singer Alan retires for a while, time for keyboard player Ronnie: he plays some Toccata in D-Fuga (majestic church organ sound) and flashy flights on synthesizers, then Alan returns and the final part delivers an exciting bombastic atmosphere featuring awesome Mellotron choirs, fiery electric guitar and an ecstatic Alan! The absolute highlight is the compelling epic medley Sanctuary/Atlantis: in the ultimate bombastic tradition Greame plays on a double-neck guitar and in the final part Alan delivers a very emotional act (like Fish in Forgotten Sons and Peter Gabriel in The Musical Box and Supper's Ready): he slowly raises his hands to the sky, glorious Mellotron choirs reign, fans, musicians and the msuci has become one, this is Neo Prog Heaven, goose bumps! The two final up-tempo tracks Strangers and Eyes In The Night are a perfect conclusion fort the crowd to clap, roar, yell and jump and for the band to show their joy and appreciation.

What a wonderful and inspired gig that was in London, 1985, highly recommended.