So at 4pm I wormed my way into the hall and got a good position behind a couple of tasty prog chicks, who were squirming in anticipation. There was hardly anyone else in the hall that early though, so I had to move away.

Soon enough the band appeared on stage and fired their mysterious way into The Cross And The Crucible. Graeme Murray's pounding bass sent shivers up my spine and a wedgie up my arse. Luckily the sound guy sorted it out. The bass, not the wedgie. I had to do that myself. They followed this up with Warriors from their new album The Dreams Of Men. I've not heard this album yet, and after one of my colleagues slated their previous album, I'm not expecting to. The band know that a good Silhobbit review equates to 10,000 sales and they choose to ignore us. We will rise above that. And I guess that they are happy to have it as the CRS's album of 2002. Horizons, guys!

Anyway, if the new tracks they played here this afternoon are representative of the new album, I'm sure they have a winner on their hands, both Warriors and the following Ghostdancers being of exceptional quality.

I have to mention the crowd - they were quiet but attentative, appreciative yet, well, dull. A tough gig to play for sure but the boys done good. The only other time I'd seen a prog band playing one of these things was Marillion in 1986 where Robin Boult stood in for Steve Rothery cos he was on his honeymoon. That was different 'cos the place was full of Webites!

The classic Crown Of Thorns was up next, and I for one enjoyed it. Memories of a sweaty Marquee came flooding back, like a cherished memory. Finally, the crowd woke up and applauded. They really were a dumb crowd.

After this track, Wee Alan Reed announced that Pallas will be touring at the end of January. 2006 I guess, though you never can tell with these guys...

The epic Midas Touch from The Cross and The Crucible was aired next, great swathes of mellotron and other such keyboard sounds emerged from the gnarly fingers of Ronnie Brown, before the familiar sounds of Cut And Run permeated the air like a fragrant bouquet in a sea of tranquillity. Suddenly the whole Hannoll Ramond / Fred West conundrum seemed like a drop in the ocean and a great weight was lifter from my shoulders, like a mullet.

What a way to finish, and even the freaks balancing tennis balls put them down to applaud! It's been twenty years since I first saw this band and they've age gracefully. Unlike Madonna, the ropey old cow.

Go drop in at www.pallas-uk.com you old buggers!

Charlie O'

Other Pallas reviews

Pallas - London Astoria 2 - 17 November 2000

Pallas - The Cross and the Crucible