Arena

[johninblack]

Ordered, despite excellent competition from Touchstone & Dec Burke I'm expecting this to be my album of the year, be very surprised if it isn't.

[Mikey]

When did Timothy Spall sign up with Arena?

And what's with the seance?  

which explores the last hour of life and the first hour beyond

[Mikey]

This is a shipping confirmation from Verglas Music. Your order below was despatched on 14/11/2011.  

[johninblack]

This is a shipping confirmation from Verglas Music. Your order below was despatched on 14/11/2011.  

Yay! do that mean mine will be arriving soon?

[sawtooth]

When did Timothy Spall sign up with Arena?

And what's with the seance?  

which explores the last hour of life and the first hour beyond

That'll teach me to do a more thorough flick back through the thread before I post another inane comment!    

[Mikey]

This is a shipping confirmation from Verglas Music. Your order below was despatched on 14/11/2011.  

Yay! do that mean mine will be arriving soon?

Soonish. Mine hasn't turned up today :cry:

[Mikey]

Last Thursday, on the 10th of November, Silesian Theatre in Katowice, Poland, for once more became the most important place for prog-rock fans, which was owing to special concerts played by three bands representing this particular kind of rock. The concerts were special because Arena, Believe and Osada Vida were recording their own live DVDs. Their release is planned for the Spring/Summer of 2012 on Metal Mind Productions.
 
The British band Arena visited Poland as part of the tour promoting their brand new album "The Seventh Degree of Separation". The album's official release date is set for the 28th of November and it opens a new chapter in the history of the band led since 1995 by two acclaimed musicians: Clive Nolan (Pendragon, Caamora, Shadowland) and Mick Pointer (ex-Marillion). The new material was recorded with a new singer, Paul Manzi (Oliver Wakeman Band), the bassist John Jowitt, who returned to the band's line-up after a several year break, and the guitarist John Mitchell. The show at the theatre in Katowice was enthusiastically received by Arena's fans. The band performed their brand new songs (The Great Escape, The Seventh Degree Of Separation, Rapture, One Last Au Renoir, The Ghost Walks, What If?, Burning Down) as well as a selection of songs from their previous albums (including The Visitor, Solomon, Crying For Help VII, Ascension).

[Mikey]

Oh Yesssssss !!!!!

     

[Trapezium Artist]

Ah, timely reminder: they're on tomorrow night at De Boerderij, down the road. Just might have to toddle over ...  

[johninblack]

It arrived yesterday - That top albums of 2011 thread now needs updating It's rather excellent!

[Mikey]

It arrived yesterday - That top albums of 2011 thread now needs updating It's rather excellent!

Been there, done that  

[johninblack]

It arrived yesterday - That top albums of 2011 thread now needs updating It's rather excellent!

Been there, done that  

Me too!

[Trapezium Artist]

Well, given a perfectly legitimate reason to leave the house last night (namely that my wife and daughter didn't want me glowering at the back of the living room as they watched the execrable Strictly), I did indeed venture out into the foggy night to see Arena at De Boerderij in Zoetermeer.

'Twas veritably stowed out and I wasn't even sure I'd get a ticket at the door. But, I did, in time to see the second half of PBII's support set. Not much to say there, I'm afraid; nice blokes, but a bit generic ...

But Arena played an excellent gig and even though I don't know much of their stuff, I enjoyed it thoroughly. Messrs Jowitt and Mitchell, fellows of whom we are acquainted in these parts, were on good form, as were their compatriots Messrs Pointer, Nolan, and Manzi, the latter seeming to be a good fit to the music at hand. The audience were on form too; all in all, another demonstration of quite how much my Dutch friends like their prog.

I also had a rather bewildering long conversation with JM at the bar; well, bewildering to me, perhaps, but presumably eminently sensible to him. Needless to say, if he offers to sell you tickets on the maiden voyage of his latest project, due for launch in 2012, then do be sure to ask him whether he'll be endeavouring to avoid the icier reaches of the North Atlantic en-route. A "titan" of the prog rock scene, he may be, but rebuilding a famous ship with the related name may be taking things a little too far.

While I presume he was taking the piss at the end of a long tour, with JM you can never be too sure ...  

Anyway, I also took the opportunity to take a few piccies from the either side of the stage. If you're interested, you can take a butcher's at my wife's MobileMe gallery page:
//http://gallery.me.com/sybille.mccaughrean#100068

[attachment=0:1gv0ve53]DSC_4486.jpg[/attachment:1gv0ve53]

[catherine]

Nice pics, TA!

[rogerg]

the man is a talker!!  and a monster guitar musician as well.  and a damn nice guy!