Day Four Cruise to the Edge, At Sea

Steve Hackett of Genesis Fame fielding questions.

D'Viriglio, Morse and Jennings.

Rickard Sjoblom of Beardfish modeling an influential band.

Sweden's Moon Safari playing in the heat.

Mark and I modelling our dewrags.

IQ singing Road of Bones.

Nick Beggs of Trifecta and Steven Wilson's solo band.

Adam Holtzman of Trifecta (and Steven Wilson's solo band)

Riverside at the Stardust.

Beardfish

Rickard Sjoblom

Robert Hansen of Beardfish.

The wall of sound of Thank You Scientist.

Monday, April 7th.

First thing this morning I went to the Atrium to see the Q&A session for Steve Hackett. I stayed to listened to the Q&A for D’VIrgilio, Morse and Jennings who are three musicians from different bands who have collaborated through a love of singing harmonies and the sound of the 60's and 70's to create a band similar to Crosby, Stills and Nash. They were asked about their influences and Morse said the Beatles and when he heard Gentle Giant doing their harmonies he said 'I wanna do that!'

I met Rickard from Beardfish walking around with his fiancee and baby. He was wearing a Gentle Giant T-shirt. They are a very well respected band among musicians. I lined up for the photo OP for Hackett and Fripp and had my picture taken with them. I could imagine how much Fripp squirmed knowing how he hates people taking photos of King Crimson. Then I watched Moon Safari at 10:30 who were an excellent band from Sweden with great harmonies, think the Beach Boys and prog. I met and spoke briefly to Ross Jennings (Haken), Nick D’Vigrilio (Big Big Train), and Johan Reingold (Karmakanic).

Then I rushed to the Stardust theater to see a bit of IQ and got there just in time to hear them do Road of Bones and one last song. After lunch we watched Trifecta at the Pool Deck on a very hot sunny calm afternoon. They played the same set with the AI assistant announcer. When they finished I asked Nick Beggs for a photo and he said 'sure but it will cost you' and told me to get three friends to help lug his gear to the Spinnaker Lounge. I got Mark and another guy and we did it. Then Beggs took me back for a photo by the stage. At 3:30 we saw Riverside in Stardust theater. They really rocked and did a lot of old stuff. They announced they are taking a break and will not be back for next year. The closed their set in a very different way, as they played each member left one by one until only the keyboard player finished and then walked off. Later I watched a bit of Caligula’s Horse second set. They were very loud and they had a mosh pit going which apparently was a Cruise to the Edge first. After dinner I met Michal Halaj, the keboard player of Riverside and asked if I could get a photo as in the 2014 I had a photo taken with the other three members and not him and he said 'how dare they'. I asked about the hiatus and he said the band is taking a break from each other for space and to pursue other projects. I watched a bit of Haken at the Pool Deck but again they were very loud and I’ve lost interest in them as they are too metally. Then there were three bands I wanted to see all at the same time: Karmekanic, Te Aristocrats and Beardfish, I chose the latter in the Spinnacker and again got front row seat on a chair this time. They rocked!! Mark went to see the Aristocrats as he missed them the other night. Then to end the day we went to the Pool Deck to see Thank You Scientist. They are a very talented seven piece with too much going on, it’s overwhelming, with little no sublety, but lots of movement and some humour. Guthrie Govan of the Aristocrats was standing near us watching them. Then back to the room to debrief and go to bed at 12.