Event Horizon presents a double headliner at The Portland Arms for a week night gig of prog rock!
First up were The Paradox Twin – Danny Sorrell – vocals, guitar strapped on while multitasking with keys & programming, Leland Freeman on guitar, Diane Fox on bass, Graham Brown on drums and then Nicole Johnson with her fabulous vocals.
Danny has a good (soft) rock voice with a lovely tone, however he was also able to go hard rock when he needed to. Nicole’s added vocals were a delight, she added depth to the tracks but not as a backing singer doing pretty harmonies, she was part of the instruments and her voice can be described as theatrical diva-esque – it was perfectly suited to their style.
There was so much I liked about this band, there were no 3-minute radio tracks going on as the music flowed into different areas, however there was emotion, theatricals, we had funky grooves – an eclectic mix of music wrapped up in the arms of rock.
The change of drum beats during a track was eventful and creative, the guitar matching the voices was crafting haunting layers and the way the wave of the track took you through a journey was wonderful.
These guys have a new album due out on 8th October.
Second band of the night was Kyros, oh and what a drum sound, it was superb!
Shelby Logan Warne on vocals and synth, Joey Frevola on guitar, Robin Johnson on drums/percussion and Peter Episcopo on bass – a tight and talented group of musicians who made everything flow so easily. Pushing towards the boundary of alternative rock/pop yet with an underlying musical exploration of sounds, Kyros are a band playing some fabulous original music.
Due to the amazing sound of the drums, and maybe the mix on the night, many of the tracks seemed drum-lead but that was no bad thing, it made the tracks more exciting and dynamic and his timing was on point. The changes of temp through some tracks kept the audience on their toes as we almost thought we knew what was coming next….but no, it was something more delightful.
We had some great slap bass going on, we had jazzy drums, amazing guitar riffs and punk infusion: the range of notes all coming from the variety of instruments were expertly steered like a leviathan gliding through space on the waves of sound. It was a total feast for the ears as Shelby lead the vocals and the synth.
They were brilliant live and know they would also be great on their CD’s – so I bought one! I’ve since listened to it and I love it, good tracks with a bend of out of the box sounds, they are good at what they do and should be on the radio for all to enjoy.
Both bands were top enjoyment and showcasing their dazzling original sounds. They are worth looking into to open your minds!
This review first appeared on GrapevineLIVE