In most bands the keyboard player is more often than not banished to the side of the stage out of harm’s way but not so in American Prog Rock band Bigelf where Damon Fox takes centre stage imprisoned on both sides by an impressive array of vintage keyboards from Mini Moogs, Hammond Organs and the king of Prog instruments, the Mellotron.
For a fair few years it looked as though Bigelf would be unable to capitalise on the success of their Cheat the Gallows album as internal divisions and personal issues threatened to tear the band apart and after a long period of inactivity it was former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy who urged Fox, who has recently worked with Lisa Marie Presley and former 4 Non Blonds singer Linda Perry, to take up the gauntlet once more. Fast forward a couple of years and everything was back on track.
On the second date of their biggest headlining tour so far and their first ever show in Newcastle Bigelf were shoehorned onto the small stage of the Academy 2 with bassist Duffy Snowhill and last minute stand in guitarist, the hugely classy John Wesley from Porcupine Tree, perched either side of the stage flanking Fox’s enormodrome keyboard rig that made the bridge of the Starship Enterprise look like an Airfix toy.
Fox himself was the ringmaster of the show decked out in a top hat and enough guyliner to make Johnny Depp weep while straddling 2 banks of keyboards. You’d have thought that this would restrain his performance somewhat but nothing could be further from the truth as he made full use of what little space he had to maximum effect.
With a style coming across like a collision between The Beatles and Black Sabbath with a judicious hint of ELO, Queen and Sweet creating a toxic blend of unique and quirky Progressive Rock that was both scintillating and hugely addictive while being bathed in wonderful melodies and atmospheric textures that weaved around the complex song structures. Their latest album Into The Maelstrom was healthily represented throughout the set with “Alien Frequency” and “Edge of Oblivion” transposing well onto the stage. It was however, unfortunate that “Mr. Harry McQuhae,” a major highlight from the album and a heart wrenching tribute to their fallen band mate A.H.B Butler-Jones was absent from the set.
While it may sound over serious and self-important the show was anything but that as the imposing and hugely charismatic Fox kept things lighthearted enjoying regular interaction with the enthusiastic Newcastle crowd and with any luck a return visit on a bigger stage may not be too far off.
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