Anyone in the progressive rock/metal/jazz arena was probably already eyeing the Gallery 5 lineup for Friday May 16th… if they knew what was good for them. But based on the size of the crowd that night, I might’ve guessed the prog fans were fewer in number than I thought, or perhaps less informed than they should be. Either way, the lineup featuring Trioscapes, Whatever, and Dumb Waiter made for a hell of a great show.
Anyone in the progressive rock/metal/jazz arena was probably already eyeing the Gallery 5 lineup for Friday May 16th… if they knew what was good for them. But based on the size of the crowd that night, I might’ve guessed the prog fans were fewer in number than I thought, or perhaps less informed than they should be. Either way, the lineup featuring Trioscapes, Whatever, and Dumb Waiter made for a hell of a great show.
For local guitar players, I find it hard to believe there’s anyone doing anything as cool and fresh as what Nick Crider and his 7-string do for the fantastically carnival-esque abandon of Dumb Waiter’s music. His rhythmic inclinations have an awesome angularity that are such a treat to see because I can’t think of another player in Richmond that spends so much of his time tapping out his lines like a Stanley Jordan protégé. “Vegan Moustache Dance” was definitely the highlight for me, because apart from the titular charm, Nick’s technique was really exemplified in this number. By the end of their set here, the three of them were well warmed up and apparently having a blast. Mr. Keith Paul on the bass was the movin’-est thing in sight other than perhaps Nathaniel Roseberry’s furious drumming. It is terribly exciting to have such unique talent with such a unique sound representing Richmond for the visitors in attendance.
Next was Whatever. I’ll admit that when I came back from a drink during the set break and found these next three musicians setting up on the G5 floor in front of the stage, I immediately felt like I was at a Navi show. And when the sounds of Whatever began, I nearly chuckled at the sensation. A physically diminutive Phillip Elliott was a monster standout with a fantastic bass tone and really speedy parts as the guitar and drums played a very Navi-esque mathy start-stop 30 minutes of mayhem.
By the time Trioscapes went on, the room had filled a bit more and seeing Dan Briggs (Between The Buried And Me bass guitarist) on our humble multi-arena gallery stage was really getting people excited. Their sound was not quite what I had expected in that it was actually more cerebral and yet more raw than anything I’ve heard BTBAM do. I imagine that being free of the metal quintet’s established sound, progressive though they are, was the ticket Briggs really needed to explore his own ideas. Without two metal guitarists to contend with/support in BTBAM, Briggs is finally able to shine himself as a soloist, and masterfully weave through some very tricky songs that he had undoubtedly more input in the creation of than anything with his metal group.
Also relevant is the way he’s expressed in interviews such admiration for the (extra-musical) intensity of early John McLaughlin recordings with the Mahavishnu Orchestra, and even still, the ability to just continually jam in a very odd time signature. Both of these tenets were wonderfully expressed as they delivered song after song with unmitigated precision. Speaking of precision, the way Walter Fancourt (saxophone) was playing so intensely whilst keeping his horn’s bell exactly and directly over the microphone was actually conspicuous–though probably not all that conspicuous when you consider the level of proficiency such genres require, or even just an experienced live player who wishes not to be drowned out.
With volume and progressiveness at the forefront, this was a fantastic show for anyone a fan of either. Trioscapes’ merch was also noticeably more affordable than one might have expected, but I wasted no time in obtaining evidence of being a part of such a jazzy, metal, thunderous evening. And after a pleasant conversation with Dan himself, I realised that you don’t have to be intense and introverted to be a metal-jazzer. They have feelings too.
