Riverside + Klone @ O2 Institute, Birmingham, 13th May 2024

28 May 2024

Review by Paul Birch, photos by Phil Piskor

The Institute’s stage is bathed in blue light, and an audience that half-hour ago looked light in numbers now blocks my view, requiring I move. A mixed bunch. Broadly speaking what we’ve come here for tonight falls under the progressive rock umbrella, but that’s no longer within the clerical authority of duffle-coated male university students. Here present are shaved heads with finely coiffured beards but not so many tattoos, ladies of all ages wearing summer dresses despite the recent sunshine having disappeared and rain returned. A portion of the audience is possibly Eastern European, but from more Asiatic climates than the headline act’s Poland. There are Wolfsbane, Jethro Tull, and a Stray Cats 2019, 40^th Anniversary Tour T-shirt worn as further evidence of the diversity of personalities found here tonight. There are also folk wearing Klone T-shirts, and I have no idea who they are except they’re going to be playing an acoustic set. After tonight, I’ll have become besotted by them.

Five individuals walk on stage, the one looking to be the youngest sits behind a drum kit, two others have acoustic guitars, another an acoustic bass guitar, and a mature D’Artagnan lookalike who mutters into a microphone “Good Evening. We are Klone.” With that the lights turn green, shining out into the audience as the musicians begin to play an idle melody that grows in its complexity. However, it’s that singer who initially draws my intention, somewhat like the late John Wetton in timbre, you sense there’s power behind it but it’s uncalled for here, at least not yet, there’s an accent I can’t define but the English-sung words are clear. The following morning, having scoured the internet I’ll know him to be one Yann Ligner. He will rarely raise a smile or introduce songs, but; Oh, what a voice. To his far left, after the drummer, sits who I presume to be founding guitarist Guillaume Bernard who casually spins out a cascade of notes over an encompassing wall of sound on a number I’ll later recall as being ‘Night And Day’.

Just how they project such power and drive from these acoustic instruments bewilders me and they do so through all their songs. The music isn’t so much stripped back more deeply intensive, an aura of textures with casually touched dynamics empowering it in a subtle spiritual manner. The lyrics too sound interesting, and I know I’ve got to check the band out properly. ‘Rocket Smoke’ resonates deep, ‘Immersion’ could be some 70s ITN TV spy thriller theme tune, but sung senatorially and that despite the fact Ligner offers one of his rare smiles at the end. “The next song was recorded by Soundgarden. I think you should recognise it,” he comments on a cover of ‘Black Hole Sun’ that proves oddly poppier with that warm feeling of the sun setting down over the Mediterranean sea.

“Are you having a good time?“ he asks, before a fearsome “Yeah!” is offered from the audience in return. They play one more song, that I take to be called ‘Bystander’ but is more likely to be ‘Beyonder’. As with all previous numbers, I’m not sure if we label this alt. rock, acoustic prog metal, or just something rather unique as performed tonight. The audience approves either way; I have honestly never heard such a prolonged amount of applause for a support band. I wonder just how Riverside is going to follow this, and the answer proves to be by being something completely different.

Purple and blue lights extend out, music vaguely Tangerine Dream in its mannerism bubbles away over the PA as drummer Piotr Kozieradski and keyboard player Michał Łapaj commander their positions and the latter begins to solo on synthesiser. Then, on bounds frontman Mariusz Duda – bass in hand – to individual applause. Their collective sound resonating, heightening in magnitude, then becoming a little darkly funky as Duda cries out into his mic the obligatory “Good evening, Birmingham!” That they’re half-way through before I notice guitarist Maciej Meller is playing across on the other side of the stage I excuse by way of my genuine excitement at the full throttle approach of the music that swings with an overall sense of danger to it. Musically, Łapaj is really impressing, but Meller also makes his presence felt as he solos. Akin to A-ha’s Morten Harket fronting a high-energy version of The Cure, this opening number is ‘#Addicted’ and it bodes well for what follows.

Slower, but initially still driven by Duda’s bass is ‘Panic Room’, the keyboards’ presence quieter as Meller’s guitar chugs with purpose, the overall ‘Kashmir’ styled pull of the number evident. Duda asks how many in the audience are here at a Riverside concert for the first time. A strong number, but more so those who’ve seen the band before. Overhearing people chatting outside later, a couple from that latter group will state it was even busier last time they played the Institute, where one was unable to move. Tonight, you could just about, but it was a Monday. And, it appears it’s not a repeat performance that those who’ve passed this way before will get, as the band like to mix and match snatches of differing songs together, and as Duda jokes in his rather polite broken conversational-English, “Every show is different, depending on how many mistakes we make!” He’ll also later make a mild complaint about people pigeon-holing the type of music they play; and it’s true their influences on any given song are as likely to be from the world of electronica as much as modern metal or prog, and often a combination.

Coming on like a morse code emergency warning next is ‘Landmine Blast’ before Meller takes the melody temporarily into a more pastoral classical progressive phase; then all squiggly keyboards, Arabic time phrases, power chords giving way to a more chilled soul-funk section, the overall effect like some Depeche Mode/Genesis mash-up. ‘Big Tech Brother’ similarly zigzags like a pinball machine, with heavier rock tones, Meller’s guitar squealing away then giving way to Duda’s soft vocals over piano. As it moves in a grand-epic manner between this and more savage guitar sections Duda’s voice begins to roar and I’m reminded of Peter Hammill’s 80s K Group period, but mostly I’m just enjoying it, even as it moves into some doomy distorted waltz for the damned with some two-thirds of the audience before me swaying sluggishly side-to-side zombie like.

One of the night’s highlight’s follows with ‘Lost (Why Should I Be Frightened By A Hat)?’, an almost Celtic rock ballad swinging first to more metallic asides with swirling guitar flourishes. Again, I’m reminded of other acts, this time Simple Minds; but the way they take the essence of what’s gone before as influence and craft it to suit their own individual sound, and somewhat joyously even when the lyrics may counter such emotions. Certainly, the two young girls to the left of me are getting off on this track, as the one yelps out recognising the number and they proceed to continue dancing with gay abandonment for the rest of the night whenever I hear them cry out in excitement and look their way. Heavy electronica blues come new romantic rock is delivered with ‘Post-Truth’, but Łapaj’s distinctly classic prog rock lead keyboard melodies have me eying his playing, his synthesiser solo being most creative.

Purple lights cascade around the stage – When I’ve looked behind me, it appears two different guys have worked the sound and lights for each set, and both have done an excellent job. Applause greets Łapaj’s piano intro to ‘The Place Where I Belong’, Meller’s electric guitar somehow eliciting the studio version’s acoustic feel. The song develops as prog ballad, an underflow of Metallica-come-Opeth grindings semi-present at times as tension and tempo rises, giving way to another of Duda’s wonderfully meaty bass lines on which the band ride, most notably the organ flourishes. Kozieradski’s drums resolutely driving the many changes in this number, be they subtle or hard-edged. There is drip fed deep-funked bass, buzzsaw metal chords, ever more old school keyboard flourishes, the song’s lyrics comparable to those of Peter Hammill wherein elements of confused introspection and existentialist conundrums formed by the all-encompassing vagaries of the modern social media world seem to co-exist. It then moves into a further extended instrumental section, somewhat influenced by early Genesis as Meller’s guitar weaves its way majestically until reaching its climax, whereupon – by chance I’m sure – I notice the way the spotlights beams cross on the ceiling seem to form a Star of David.

Mellotron styled choral sounds and a nagging guitar take us into ‘Egoist Hedonist’, all eerie up the point Duda calls out: “Are you ready!” and the guitar moves to jagged prog metal mode, band and audience bouncing collectively into life. I catch sight of a guy just in front of my left-side manically air drumming, who happens to be Asian. Before the number finishes, I’ll notice similarly ethnic mates beside him, all bobbing their heads in times. Once more, I’m struck by the audience’s diversity here in its truest sense, but suspect the melting pot of sound Riverside make holds a key reason for that. The song extends into a prog rave, guitar jazz-funking chords one minute, worming its way round the fretboard the next, keyboards jabbering, throbbing and exuding sweeter melodies in between; returning to familiar motifs before breaking off anew, seemingly never going to end, save suddenly they stop as one, Duda asking: “Are you ready for this?”

Kozieradski strikes a motorik beat; becoming progressively heavier with each swinging beat, the other members start clapping their hands, audience happily joining in. Łapaj’s piano adds a melody, switching and adding other keyboards the mood refocuses, particularly when the bass comes in, evokes Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark with a molten metal heart. This is called ‘Friend Or Foe?’ yet sounds like a life-affirming celebration as Duda jumps around the stage and those below him commit their daddy dances for all to see. Meller breaks from his corner, moves more upfront and centrally as he solos, then he and Duda face-off each other as Łapaj’s solos, and all too soon, as they finish; we realise their set has finished.

Briefly, they stand collectively listening to the roars of approval and clapping being made before heading off. The crowd refuse to subside in their demonstrations and Riverside return to encore, and it just get bleeding better. ‘Self-Aware’ follows and if you’ve not heard this, I’ll try to poorly explain it as appropriating The Bangles’ rendition of Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Hazy Shade Of Winter’ riff with the amps set to 11 as Duda sings “I want to feel close to you”, then tonight well all join in going: “Oh-oh-oh!” in a collaborative euphoric moment, for it to suddenly turn on its head without skipping a beat as his bass grunts deep and it’s akin to The Stranglers playing punk reggae and back in again, incorporating the anthemic doom prog of ‘Driven To Destruction, then back to the main song before the PA pumps out a final echoing vocal: “Close to you!”

Fortunately, the clock’s still ticking as the bass player looks to be applying chords played via effects and – following a plectrum thrown out into the crowd – I note Duda’s right hand fingers playing his bass, the tonal difference readily apparent as keyboards play melodiously, notably Łapaj’s piano as he accompanies Duda singing: “I’ve been watching you, waiting for the right moment to make the first move”, reminiscent of early Marillion, and even earlier Genesis. An odd choice of lyrics for what will be tonight’s last number, save the love expressed feels right her tonight. ‘Conceiving You’, for such it is keeps this tempo, Meller’s soaring solo expresses the moments words can’t, his tremelo arm increasingly given full measure. Duda sighs “Ah,” then shouts out: “1, 2, 3!” and the room rocks once more with a surge in volume. Duda holds his bass aloft as Kozieradski reminds all those who’ve not seen him there at the back that he’s the geezer that’s kept this train rolling as he sets out a series of drum rolls, and as one Duda and the usually quiet Meller leap into the air whereupon landing the music suddenly grinds to a halt.

There are smiles, hands held to hearts, a gathering to bow, a band and audience photo taken as keepsake and one final “Goodnight!” as over the PA that evergreen classic ‘I Don’t Want To Set The World On Fire’ plays us out of the venue, mocking us for not having worn vintage prog rock duffle-coats to protect us from the rain outside. Weather aside, this has been a phenomenal evening and the week ahead will see me playing both bands’ music long and hard, drawing energy from it as life seeks to grind me down. But it won’t, not least because already I can’t wait to see both Klone and Riverside again.

Setlist: