It seems Mother Of Millions have created their own tradition of closing the year with a major headline show, and it’s genuinely exciting to see how much their name has grown. Those of us who witnessed their unexpectedly sold-out Temple gig back in early 2018—an outcome that surprised even them—remember how that moment pushed them toward bigger venues. This time, Fuzz welcomed them at the end of yet another European tour, shortly before the band heads into the studio to work on their fifth album.
I wasn’t familiar with the two support acts, so I skipped the online scouting and went in fresh. Within Progress opened the night in a venue that was, frankly, painfully empty. Saying there were fifty people inside might be generous. Still, the progsters from Thessaloniki didn’t let that kill their energy. They played as if the room were full—exactly the kind of attitude you want from a rising band. With an EP and an album already behind them, their sound leans close to that of the headliners: well-crafted compositions that shift between atmospheric and heavier, faster passages, showing real talent and room to grow. Frontman Efthimis Papadopoulos kept trying to stir up the slowly growing audience, even jokingly asking, “Are you ready to applaud at 13/17?” They also premiered a new track, hinting that more material may be on the way. A shame more people weren’t there to see them.
Next up were Part Of The Theory. Young as they are, they already have an interesting accolade: composing music for the series Maestro in Blue—and credit where it’s due, even if the show itself is overrated. Their style has been described as “progressive soundtrack,” which fits perfectly; their music has a strong cinematic quality, and even their onstage movements felt almost choreographed. Their foundation is progressive rock, but their songs weave in a wide range of influences, including Greek and Middle-Eastern folk elements. Vicky Kapetanopoulou played a crucial role, constantly layering vocals—even wordless ones—across the songs, treating the voice as another instrument shaping their soundscape. Their compositions are long and expansive; I believe they only played four songs in their set, which was shortened due to a technical delay. They have no full body of recorded work yet, aside from the single “Famished Mammon,” so we’ll have to wait and see where they take things. As a first impression, though, they seem like a band worth keeping an eye on.
Mother Of Millions then took the stage and immediately surprised the audience before playing a single note: guitarist Kostas Konstantinidis appeared in a wheelchair, and George Boukaouris was absent from the drum kit. From what I gathered, Kostas suffered a leg injury—wishing him a fast recovery—but I saw no explanation for the drummer change, and the band did not address it during the show. Even so, there was never any doubt that their performance would hold up; they’ve proved time and again that difficulties don’t slow them down. With powerful, crystal-clear sound and a setlist centered on their last three albums, they delivered something truly flawless.
As they did last year in the same venue, they invited three female singers to join them from “The Line” onward, staying onstage until the end. The trio even performed “The Line” alone, without George Prokopiou, and added beautiful new dimensions to songs like “Amber,” “Magna Mater,” “Rome,” and “Artefact.” What followed was another deeply emotional, almost seminar-like performance lasting nearly two hours—one of those shows you wish wouldn’t end. When it finally did, the crowd erupted in applause.
Setlist: Inside, Orbit, Halo, Silence, Anchor, Rite, The Line, Amber, Feral, Magna Mater, Irae, Collision, No Light No Light (Florence + The Machine), Rome, Artefact, Soma, Spiral
I don’t think many words are needed to describe a Mother Of Millions performance; their music carries emotions that each listener experiences differently. What I can say is that we’re lucky to have a band of this caliber in our country, and anyone who sees them live understands that instantly. Congratulations to the support acts for rising to the occasion, and as for the headliners—here’s hoping we meet again next year at this time for the unveiling of their next album.
Rise, Evolve.
George Terzakis
Photos: Katerina Vrana
