Dream Machine / Monster Killed By Laser

This new venue in Wakefield plays host to Dream Machine tonight; featuring ex members of Ozric Tentacles, Thunderdogs, Here and Now and ZubZub. Firstly local lads Monster Killed By Laser take to the stage. They are late on but probably waiting for more people to show up. Unfortunately for them they do not.

The DNE is a newly opened venue (ex-lap dancing bar), and even though it has been open for 6 weeks there has not been that much promotion around for it. We nearly walk straight by the entrance! The dark main room makes it a perfect hall for music, though the large pillars down the centre of the space remind you what this place used to be (I know they are support pillars, probably added after the change over, but still!).



Monster Killed By Laser are missing a member tonight, but still go on to captivate the small crowd. The deep and overly distorted bass lines and spasms of drumming give a sense of a tune, but then it is snatched away by the snarling guitar solos. And thrusting!

The sound is really strong; my ears are killing standing halfway back, but you can not take your eyes off this band, playing metal, prog, jazz, experimental, instrumental rock (I think that covers the styles). Just a shame that many are not here to see them.



Now for Dream Machine, who take to the stage with still a small crowd in attendance. The six-member band fill up the stage, especially with all of their equipment! The lights are down low, large gobos graffiti the walls with swirling patterns behind and around the band, and large beams of light dance with the music from the speakers.

Now glancing at the set list beforehand I notice only eight songs, meaning there are to be some long tunes ahead. Such is space rock! Not only do we hear some prog style tracks though, we also get some blues, reggae and dance in there too.

My favourite is 'Happy Dragon', named by a child of one band member. I used to try and name Ozric songs as a teenager, like "the one that sounds like a soundtrack to a big bird flying over a jungle". Not as catchy or snappy as 'Happy Dragon', I'll stick to my day job...

There are heavy elements of 70's rock, with percussionist Mindflux and guitarist Alex Pym both pulling influences from Pink Floyd. The Reggae and World music elements drive different paces of beats into the track, so you don't know whether the next one will be as fast or slow as the last. A real mixed bag of prog nuts!

The set list draws a vast majority from the latest release 'The Castle Of A Thousand Universes'. 'Invisible Maze' appears the most structured of the bunch, but who wants structured? It's all about how so many musical minds can come together and perform such a mixture of complicated music in time (well, quite like a jam).



Jon, Champignon Egan, the recognisable front man from the Ozrics, plays a variety of woodwind, such as the Kaval (Bulgarian flute), Duduk (Armenian Double Reed), Ney (Turkish flute), and concert flute. Here his sound is emphasised and allowed to add melody to the tracks, not hidden away like the Ozrics (though it fits in here with the mellower pace). He even does a little singing and storytelling!

It is a real same that this show was not advertised more, as the crowd did not swell much all night. This is not I think down to the band's popularity; once this venue is more established I believe it will fill up quickly. Tonight's show however is more like a private show for a select few; that's what I like to think anyway.

Set list:
Mantra
Happy Dragon
DubDub
The Castle Of A Thousand Universes
Vanishing Point
Vasta Wazza

Scoiattolo Volante (The Flying Squirrel)
Invisible Maze

FUTURE GIGS

sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.