Shining were up first and had to squeeze into what space was left after the DTP'S gear and monstrous drum set up had dominated the stage, and promptly burst into their brand of so called 'Blackjazz'. The thing that bothers me with this label is the lack of black metal. The fusion of black metal and jazz has been masterfully handled by Ihsahn, and if anything this should be recognized as Blackjazz. This just seems a mix-up for the sake of it to me. Its an awkward blend of industrial metal and jazz elements, very similar to Djent, with added saxophone. The performance lacks a certain energy here tonight and any newcomers might be dissuaded.
Periphery are also a band that have a melting pot of ideas, and are notably skilled musicians, but the song crafting seems to have been left behind. A lesson could be learnt from the likes of The Dillinger Escape Plan or Between The Buried and Me, and I'm sorry, but the poppy vocals are overkill. Energetic performance, warm reception from the crowd, but lacking an overall musical cohesion.
The Devin Townsend Project on the other hand ooze charisma, confidence and humility and after an irritatingly long intro involving Ziltoid the Omniscient himself, the band dive into a hearty rendition of 'War'. The set-list on the night continued in this vein (much to the delight of the die-hard fans) including a cut from most albums. From 'Night' and 'Christeen' to 'Storm' and 'Namaste', many of these hidden gems have not been aired in these parts for many years. You can bet your bottom dollar the crowd was brimming with smiles at the beginning of each song.
The self-confessed nerdy bromance that has emerged between these three bands on this tour is pretty strong to say the least. Each band would have to be surgically removed from each others asses if it continues in such a fashion! The mystery jazz monkey to make an appearance during 'Lucky Animals' was obviously Jørgen Munkeby of Shining, but a nice touch indeed.
The DTP stole the show as was always likely, the visuals, the energy and the tightness of it all was immense, let alone the fresh choice of songs. The only gripe most fans would have (unless they haven't had time to check it out yet, or are casuals) would be the lack of material from either disc of 2014's Z2. Even if the slipped in 'Ziltoid Goes Home' or 'Universal Flame' the show would have been nearing perfection.
The self-confessed nerdy bromance that has emerged between these three bands on this tour is pretty strong to say the least. Each band would have to be surgically removed from each others asses if it continues in such a fashion! The mystery jazz monkey to make an appearance during 'Lucky Animals' was obviously Jørgen Munkeby of Shining, but a nice touch indeed.
The DTP stole the show as was always likely, the visuals, the energy and the tightness of it all was immense, let alone the fresh choice of songs. The only gripe most fans would have (unless they haven't had time to check it out yet, or are casuals) would be the lack of material from either disc of 2014's Z2. Even if the slipped in 'Ziltoid Goes Home' or 'Universal Flame' the show would have been nearing perfection.
