Pure Reason Revolution

+ Lucinda Console + others

The Marquee Club, Hertford

9th June 2006
So, after hearing so much about Pure Reason Revolution, and having bought their albums, mini albums and bloody long singles, I thought it was about time I got to see them in concert. So I pointed the OMara-Mobile on the direction of Hertford, set the cruise control to 'Prog' and hit the progging road. Well, the A414 anyway.

The Marquee in Hertford is a decent venue, loads of car parks nearby, a couple of pubs for before, and some cracking kebab shops for after.
I met up with our Vinnie and Nat, his PA / Translator and headed inside, just missing the opening act Cats and Cats and Cats, but they sounded interesting from outside.

There was barely time to get a pint in before the second band, The Strange Death Of Liberal England, started. But there was plenty of time to sup up while they were on. Their opening number sounded promising, and when they all swapped instruments before the next, it seemed that they were either going to be exceptionally good, or very pretentious in showing off how they could all play everything.

However it turned out that they could play nothing. Or sing. This time next year they'll be big. Huge even. Do McDonalds workers still get free food? Apparently they're getting some good airplay on Lamaq

Lucida Console or something were on next, and they were much better. Well, they had to be, didn't they. Another band ploughing the space rock furrow, showing a little originality on some of their track. Maybe a bit more work will see them make the great leap.

And soon they were gone, leaving the stage clear for tonight's main band, the band all the kids had come to see, Pure Reason Revolution.
Well, Jon, Chloe, Jim, Andrew and Jamie landed in Hertfordshire with a bump and a crash, and proceeded to dazzle the appreciative crowd with their magical blend of prog and space rock.

Despite the sound setup sounding rather muggy, the band kicked off with Aeropause running into Borgens Vor and Apprentice Of The Universe, which trickled into In Aurelia which blended in with Bright Ambassadors of Morning which then morphed into Voices of Winter/In The Realms Of The Divine and Twyncyn/Trembling Willows.

He Tried to Show Them Magic and Ambassadors Return finished off the set, but frantic cat-calling brought them back for a masterful rendition of Nimos and Tambos and finally The Intention Craft (check it out on Podcast 01. You can also hear Goshen's Remains on Podcast 12)
I remember seeing a few comments regarding the bands lack of chat between the songs when they supported Pallas up in Rotherham recently. What the hell are you on, northerner? There is no gaps between the songs, the music just flows, like sweet honey into a cream pie.

At one point Chloe's brand new tambourine decided to break into two pieces - an excited girl in the crowd was the lucky recipient of one half!

This is a young band with a bright future ahead of them. Make sure you see them while you can - They play Summers End 2006 at the Robin 2 on October 1st.