No one can possibly see every concert of the year so this is really the 10 best concerts that I saw in 2010. And I saw a lot of shows and some astounding performances. Here’s the list. John Diliberto’s Ten Best Concerts of 2010 1 Jonsi at Electric Factory, Philadelphia Jonsi gave a performance that…
Tag: Nearfest
Reviews & Commentary
Last Thoughts & Merit Awards for NEARfest 2010
Another NEARfest is over, and a festival I avoided for its first 6 years because it seemed too retro and nostalgic has become an annual event for me in the last six years. NEARfest 2010 was one of the best, a great mix of old and new, nostalgic reunions and edgy directions. A tip of…
Reviews & Commentary
NEARfest 2010 Finale: Eddie Jobson’s Cover Band
A Rock Orchestra playing the music of the Masters or A Glorified Tribute band. I was telling my friend that I thought it would be compelling if some of these NEARfest bands would occasionally play cover tunes, paying homage to the masters with modern interpretations. As they say, be careful what you wish for, because…
Reviews & Commentary
NEARfest Day Three: Pineapple Thief Steals the Show.
Surprising sets from a lost elder statesman and a band that should be much bigger, The Enid & The Pineapple Thief. They were only the third act on the bill, but The Pineapple Thief stole the day for me with the most atypical set of NEARfest 2010. No extended guitar solos, keyboard orchestrations or complex…
Reviews & Commentary
The Ghost of Gentle Giant Haunts NEARfest 2010
Three Friends, Iona, Forgas Band Phenomena and Astra Supercharge Saturday’s NEARfest. It was a day of nostalgic memories, faithful recreations, and technical ferocity on the second day of NEARfest 2010 Three Friends is essentially a reconstituted Gentle Giant, the venerable 70s progressive rock band who played some of the most complex music of the era.…
Reviews & Commentary
Nearfest Night One: Steve Hackett & Riverside.
Nearfest 2010 is underway, and it started out spanning generations with a musician who started his career in 1970 and a band who started in 2002 . Riverside is a Polish band that mixes elements of progressive rock, heavy metal and a touch of screamo in a sound that had me floored when they played…
Reviews & Commentary
Nearfest 2010 Tix Go On Sale Sat.
Nearfest Tix go in 30 minutes so start your Engines Tickets for Nearfest, the North East Art Rock Festival, go on-sale this Saturday 3/20/2010. Taking place June 18-20 in Bethlehem, PA, Nearfest this year includes Steve Hackett, Eddie Jobson, Three Friends (Gentle Giant off-shoot), Riverside and a host of prog rockers past, present and future. …
Reviews & Commentary
Life On Planet Gong: Echo Location
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http://media.blubrry.com/echoespodcast/www.xpn.org/podcasts/echoes/echoes20091111.mp3Podcast: Play in new window | DownloadSubscribe: RSSGong-The Original Psychedelic Space Gypsies at 40. You can hear an audio version of this blog, with Gong’s music. The voyage of the original Star Trek ended in 1969, but another band of space travelers called Gong launched that year and they’re still wandering the galaxies. Gong is…
Reviews & Commentary
NEARFEST 2009 REFLECTIONS and 10 Classic Progressive Rock Albums
Is Progressive rock progressing? Another year, another NEARFEST and the 2009 edition was as good as any, and much better than 2008, which, as I wrote then, was overlong and overwrought. In ’09 I rarely looked at my watch, there were several acts that excited and you heard nothing but brilliant musicianship. Van Der…
Reviews & Commentary
NEARfest 09 Part 4-The Rest
NEARFEST 09-The Rest: Oblivion Sun, DFA, Trettioåriga Kriget, Beardfish Echoes‘ John Diliberto wraps up his Nearfest 09 Reviews In what turned out to be a very good Nearfest, I’ve already covered my favorite acts. You can read about Gong and PFM, Steve Hillage and Van Der Graaf Generator, and my faves of the festival, Cabeza…