When Mother Of Millions announced the release show of their new album “Artifacts”, a chance like that couldn’t be wasted. This time, in a bigger venue compared to the one the used last year when their previous album was out. Arriving there, about thirty minutes before the start, I was really concerned about the attendance because I couldn’t count more than fifty people inside, with many of them being musicians from other bands.
Luckily, minutes before the show, the main room of the venue was almost full. Playgrounded was the opening act, a band that came to my attention one year ago when I received their second album “In Time With Gravity” for review. With a ten-year presence in the music stage, after their debut album “Athens” they moved to The Netherlands, so their return home for this show was a special occasion. They had a very good performance, but to be honest their electronic/progressive rock is a difficult thing to play live. Beautiful music accompanied by their own laser show, but it was clear that they didn’t get to gain the attention of the audience, who applauded them in the end.
One note before moving on, the sound in both bands was simply amazing. Also, it was very nice seeing many musicians from the new Greek prog (and not only) scene that came to this night. Need, Poem (obviously), Mask Of Prospero, Tardive Dyskinesia, New Past and Maplerun had their…representatives there, showing a very nice example of solidarity between these bands.
As for the headliners, when your show starts with “Amber”, you know that a great night is ahead of you. Excellent track, excellent performance from a band that was on fire. For next, the whole new album “Artifacts” was presented with top moments being “Soma” (what a melody) and the beautiful “Artefact”. In the last one, I was one step away from shouting “SHUT UP YOU ANIMALS”. Zero respect from the audience, because this track starts only with keys and vocals and the constant blabbing and laughing by them didn’t let it show all of its magic. Fortunately, my nerves calmed down soon after, because this song creates such emotions that made it one of the top moments of this Saturday night.
Moving on, “Sigma” couldn’t be absent and it was performed almost on its entirety. In this, the fans knew the songs and where more enthusiastic. That was clear in “Silence”, my favorite “Collision” and in “Rome” with a beautiful sing-along moment. They also played an unusual cover, even if they have done it again some times before, and a track from their debut album to complete their set. For me, I could watch them play for two more hours and not get tired at all.
As for the band, words can’t describe their flawless performance. Kostas Konstantinidis with his great guitar melodies, Panos Priftis with his clever bass lines, Makis Tsamkosoglou with his atmospheric keys, the amazing George Boukaouris with his tremendous drumming and of course George Prokopiou who is not just a guy who holds a microphone, but a performer who gives his whole self in each lyric, were pure magic. After all, they have been together as a band for many years now, so they have developed a necessary chemistry among them. Also, interesting stage set-up, as the drums and keys create something like an angle in the back, leaving plenty of space for the ones in the front.
Setlist: Amber, Rite, Soma, Cinder, Nema, Anchor, Artefact, Shine, Silence, Uninvited (Alanis Morissette), Collision, Spiral, Rome, Human
Exiting the venue, after stopping in front of the merch stand for the necessary shopping, I cay say that this was the best performance out of many I have seen them in the past. Maybe the best until the next, because if someone sees the giant leaps ahead they have took over the past years, the sky is the limit. The local scene needs great bands like them and concerts like this one. Rise, Evolve.
George Terzakis
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