reviewsarchiv 746

Flying Colors! Yeah well, what are flying Colors? Well, you won't get a picture of this in the normal sense, exept maybe as a rainbow, or a fast changing lime light. But I assume, that our Flying Colors here are rather coloured tunes, thrown into anything by our artists here. And that's what these Senores really can do with such a huge talent, that most other artists seem like rheumatism tortured pinballs. But every specialist of good pop and rock music knows exactly who these swirring photones are. And so it's not surprise. Each of those musicians is a masterpiece of himself. And I guess, I don't have to say much about guitarist Steve Morse, who had been handled as a secret hint for many years, before he replaced Ritchie Blackmore in Deep Purple. Neal Morse is a an unwritten law in ProgRock and concerning bassist Dave LyRue the question is: with whom did he not play in the past. Only frontman and singer Casey McPerson is a relatively unwritten leaf. Yeah well and not to forget our 'most important' man on drums, who is none other than Mike Portnoy, who - thanks to Dream Theater enjoys a reputation like from 1000 and one night tales in drum circles. He is involved in fact in 5 projects currently, just not Dream Theater anymore.
And at al those musical Hightec constructions it's the combination, just Steve Morse plays together with Dave LaRue in Dixie Dregs, and Steve plays on the new album 'Momentum' of Neal Morse, who will embark on a US tour in spring with Mike Portnoy on drums. Got me? Never mind, everything stays inside the family, as it is commonly said, one helps the other. And as these guys know each other better than everybody else, it works truly excellent.

The roots for the band Flying Colors was planted in the year 2008, but did establish last year. And they did write this first album in fact in nine days. The result is a brilliant piece of music, which ain't progrock and doesn't include any complicated sound structures and no complexity. It's fine and smooth poprock music.
The songs on the disc are perfectly arranged for an easy listening and sing along. It's offering finest entertainment for everybody, from the passionate progrock fans, to uncle edward in his rocking chair, who is happy, when he can exchange his stiff tye with a hawaiian shirt. This again means, that Flying Colors music speaks to a wirde range of music lovers. And that's what it does, also tonight here in Munich.
But the reason, that the place ain't crowded is not so much the fact, that this group is not well known yet, it's rather due tot he fact, that tonight Germany vs. Austria in Soccer. And some sportsmen prefer the homely couch and the telly to our Theaterfactory behind the East Munich trainstation. Well, you could also face it the other way round. Aprox. 400 guests tonight is more than I thought for those circumstances. Support act Birdfish is gliding between my fingers, as we say so. For once, because right at that moment Mike Portnoy demonstrates me verbally the philosophy of absolute perfection and shortly after, Neal Morse divides his new soloalbum to me. And last but not least - after that, I can't get away from my pocket radio to follow the soccer match until Flying Colors go on stage.

At 8.45 p.m. again - ligts off, spot on... And first of all I realize, that the nice young chap, I was talking with in front of the backstage door in the pooring rain before, is the front painter of this lot. Well that comes from not checking out enough visual aspects, exept the one's of Portnoy and Morse and Morse. But it's pretty soon obvious, that Casey McPherson is also an excellent musician. On the other hand I doubt it, that the other's would have accepted less that this. Apart from that there is not much more to say, Steve Morse, who just had been here with G3 recently in Munich at a sold out show, is practicing a sophisticated understatement. Neal Morse is mainly hidden behind his over dimensional keyboard and goes front only with now and then extensive solos. Bassist Dave LaRue does a little easier, but is shot off by captain bluebeard behind his drumkit, what's up to generell attention. It's actually him, who is the star of tonight, - Mike 'Mighty' Portnoy, who is playing a much smaller drumkit as a few weeks ago with Adrenaline Mob - same place.

Inbetween I pop over for a 15 minutes stop over at the Garage Rockclub in the same building where at the same time Heavy Metal rules with 3 bands, led by James Rivera and his Helstars. Unfortunately only abou 40 lost souls have gathered - sad but true. But this event has also become a victim to the soccer tonight, or is it rather due to the fact, that the old School Heavy Metal is more or less out. However, James can still sing like Caruso at his hightimes. And I can't avoid a certain pity feeling that such a talent has still to fly around in the underground.

Back again in the Theaterfabrik we get into the final phase of a truly well done spectacle. The mood couldn't be better, though the place ain't sold out. And so we do have the feeling to have received a fabulous concert happening.
Flying Colors did offer us finest entertainment, almost pop melodies, which do connect on hidden ways in a nice harmony. And so the current album is evening filling, and Mikey Boy is trying his figaro talents front stage, saying: please don't over look me up there behind the drumkit. Don't worry, we definately don't do so, and the applause belongs to you, but also the rest of the flying red's,blue's, green's and yellow's.

Well let's hope, that this project will not be one of those one hit wonders, and that these excellent musicians find togehter again in the consistence of a sparking rainbow to delight us with their music. Meanwhile, we have to put up with Portnoy in Adrenaline Mob, Portnoy and Neal Morse, or Steve Morse and Deep Purple or whatsoever.... As I said before.... everything stays inside the family... so or so....
http://flyingcolorsmusic.com/